The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Nouriya Al Subaih, announced the decision, citing the downward trend in her country’s education system.
The educational institutes in Bahrain targeted by the Kuwaiti authorities are faculties of education, engineering, administration, law and financial systems at Gulf University, faculties of economy and administrative sciences and law in Delmon University for Technological Sciences and the faculties of law and economy and administrative sciences at the Applied Sciences University.
Delmon University president Dr. Hassan Al Qadhi told the Tribune, “The Kuwaiti authorities have issued a temporary decision as they want to review the educational institutions in Bahrain. It is their right and there is nothing wrong in the exercise.
About 1,400 Kuwaitis are studying or have passed from our university.
Everything is normal and in fact a Kuwait government official had inspected our campus and was happy with the facilities.”
The Tribune tried to contact the other educational institutes but no one was available for comment.
However, the temporary ban announced by the Kuwaiti authorities will not affect the students who are in the middle of their terms or have received approval to pursue higher studies in Bahrain.
Dr Faisal Al Meslim, Chairman of Education, Culture and Guidance Affairs in Kuwait was quoted by the media as saying that some of the universities in Bahrain and Egypt were ‘not respectable’ and have commercialised education. “There are at least 40,000 students abroad, 16,000 of whon are in Egypt and 6,000 in Bahrain,” he said, adding that it was not even mandatory for registered students to attend regular classes there.