Kuwait’s Minister of Education, Jalal Al-Tabtabaei, has issued a decision creating a new job title inside the teaching grades: trainee teacher. It implements Decree-Law 86 of 2026, which replaced Schedule 1 of Law 28 of 2011 governing allowances and bonuses for Kuwaiti teaching staff at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
You need a university degree
The decision creates the title without prejudice to rights already acquired, and requires applicants to hold a university qualification.
One year, on a training programme
The grade is held for one year to begin with, during which the teacher goes through a training programme. Its conditions and the mechanism for passing it are to be set by a further decision of the minister.
What you are paid during that year
Pay follows the financial grade of appointment alone. The four allowances and bonuses that teaching staff normally receive are not paid during the training year:
- the grade bonus
- the incentive bonus
- the teaching allowance
- the rare-specialisation allowance
Progression between levels then follows the schedule attached to Decree-Law 86, under the conditions set for each level, plus any further conditions set by the Civil Service Commission and the ministry.
If you do not pass
The route splits in two:
- A trainee holding an educational degree — a bachelor of education from Kuwait University’s College of Education, or from PAAET’s College of Basic Education — moves to an administrative post inside the Ministry of Education.
- A trainee without that educational degree has their file referred to the Civil Service Commission, to be placed at another government body in a role matching the qualification they do hold.
When it takes effect
The decision applies from the date it was issued, and cancels earlier decisions that conflict with it.
Photo: a card produced by Kuwait One over a school yard photograph published by Al-Jarida, carrying the State of Kuwait emblem and the name of the Ministry of Education.
Source: the Minister of Education’s decision, as reported by Al-Qabas and Al-Jarida.
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