Plan laid out to reopen preschools in three stages

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s health ministry has announced approving a plan to reopen preschools in September in three stages after over a year of closure.

The announcement was made by the Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs Dr Mashaan Al Otaibi and the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the COVID-19 Emergency Committee Hamad Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah.

The ministry laid out a three-stage plan for the reopening of nurseries as the first stage will be to determine the health regulations and mechanisms put in place by each preschool, which take place between April 15 and May 30.

In the second stage, the nurseries will begin child rehabilitation programs to ensure a safe reopening between June 1 and August 30.

All nurseries will open and their regular capacity, concluding the third stage on September 1, according to Gulf News.

In Kuwait, preschools have been closed for over a year like schools and universities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, there were around 500 nurseries across Kuwait.

The Preschool Owners Forum (PFO) reported that 200 nurseries were shut for not adhering to health measures in the past year. In addition, 100 closed their doors as they were overburdened with economic losses.

While the nursery owners have been affected by the loss so have the 309,138 children between the age of zero and four that reside in Kuwait. Kindergarten is a pivotal time in a child’s life as they learn developmental and social skills that serve as a foundation for their overall growth.

The Kuwaiti government had earlier announced a plan last month to reopen schools in September, however, nurseries were not included in the plan as they are under the Ministry of Social Affairs, not the Ministry of Education.