Kuwait schools to reopen evening clubs on 8 November

If your child’s school day usually ends the moment the last bell rings, that’s about to change. From 8 November, many public schools in Kuwait will keep their doors open a little longer, bringing back after-hours clubs for sports, robotics, debate and scouting.

The Ministry of Education announced the move on Sunday, 1 November, saying evening school clubs will resume for the 2026-2027 academic year. This comes just days after the ministry rolled out 20 new rules on money, photos and social media for schools, so it’s clearly a busy season for policy changes at the ministry.

Why is the ministry doing this?

The ministry said the decision follows directives from Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei. The goal is to reactivate evening clubs and give students a more stimulating environment outside normal class hours, one that helps them build skills and talents in a structured, supervised setting.

In plain terms: regular school hours cover the curriculum. Evening clubs are meant to cover everything else, the sport your child loves, the robot they want to build, or the debate team they want to join.

What clubs are on offer?

The ministry listed several specialised clubs for both boys’ and girls’ schools:

• Sports clubs – football, handball, basketball and bowling, led by male and female physical education teachers in their own sport.
• Robotics clubs – run by computer science teachers.
• Practical studies and industrial applications clubs – run by practical studies teachers.
• Debate clubs – run by Arabic language teachers.
• Scouting clubs – run by scouting supervisors and leaders.

This isn’t just a one-off activity day. The ministry describes it as an ongoing programme meant to run through the school year, giving students a steady routine of skill-building after classes end.

Who can apply to teach at the clubs?

This part matters most for Ministry of Education staff thinking of applying. The eligibility rules are specific, and the ministry says it will check them carefully.

1. You must already work for the Ministry of Education.
2. You need at least 2 years of experience, counted from the date of your most recent appointment.
3. You must have no disciplinary penalties in the past 2 years, unless those penalties have been legally cleared from your record.
4. You must have received an “Excellent” performance evaluation in each of the last 2 years.
5. Your specialisation must match the club you want to lead, for example a PE teacher for sports clubs or an Arabic teacher for debate clubs.
6. You must pass a personal interview with the relevant technical supervision department.

If you tick all of these boxes, the next step is simple: register through the ministry’s designated electronic platform before the window closes.

What is the registration deadline?

Registration opened on Sunday, 1 November, and closes on Thursday, 5 November. That gives eligible teachers and educational staff a short window, so anyone interested should not wait until the last day to apply. The ministry has called on all eligible staff to register before the deadline.

Kuwait schools recently brought in a 3-day suspension rule for smoking, part of a wider push this term to tighten how schools are run, both during and after normal hours.

What this means for parents and students

For families, this is good news if your child has been asking for an organised football team, a robotics group, or a debate club at school. From 8 November, those options should start reappearing at participating schools, run by qualified teachers who have passed the ministry’s checks.

An earlier investigation into schoolgirls falling ill with breathing trouble has kept school safety in the news this term, and the ministry’s recent moves, from new school rules to reopening evening clubs, suggest it’s trying to show tighter oversight of what happens inside schools, both in class and after hours.

For teachers, this is a chance to earn extra income and experience by leading a club in their specialisation, provided they meet the experience, conduct and performance conditions set out above.

You can find more local news in Kuwait as the ministry rolls out further changes this academic year.

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