FREE Established 1961 Friday ISSUE NO: 18190 THULHIJJA 3, 1441 AH FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020 Amir leaves for US to On yer bike: Cycling industry Olympic cancellation 3 complete treatment 35 out-pedaled by demand 38 specter haunts Tokyo All the fun has dried up SEE PAGES 4 & 5 2 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Education ministry meets with private schools on e-learning plans Online learning in 2020/2021 • Tuition fee situation mulled KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education issued a statement related to the main concerns of parents in private and for- eign schools in Kuwait. In a post on its official Instagram page, the Education Ministry announced a discussion with private, foreign school owners about the various issues and topics related to finishing the 2019/2020 school year as well as preparations to start the 2020/2021 school year through online learning. Parents and teachers were not included in the discussions. According to the statement, Dr Abdul Mohsen Al- Huwailah, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education at the Ministry of Education, said that school owners gave their opinions during the discussion on the measures that need to be taken with regards to providing simultaneous, interactive education online and allowing students to improve their research and self-learning skills. Dr Huwailah said that dis- cussion focused on seven main topics, which are: • Preparations taken at private schools to transform edu- cation from conventional to remote education (online). • Discussing the standards that private schools have taken to select the remote education management system and Regulations announced soon on regulations to be announced later to regulate the concerning private schools with school owners, including 2020/2021 school year at private schools. issues related to the current academic year (2019-2020) and the next school year (2020-2021). He also noted it was Fees must be paid agreed that all teachers should be present in schools to con- Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Education (MoE) duct online education in order to follow up their perform- affirmed that parents must pay school fees for the spring ance in virtual classes and provide the requirements of online learning platforms. semester of the 2019-2020 school year. In an interview with online learning. • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to finish the Arabic newspaper Al-Jarida, Dr Al-Huwailah, said that Huwailah said the private education department will work 2019/2020 school year at foreign private schools online. according to clause 11 of ministerial resolution number on facilitating the return of stranded private school teachers • Finishing the 2019/2020 school year for grade 12 stu- 14550/2020 pertaining to delayed tuition fee payment until to Kuwait and that the department will contact all relevant dents at Arab private schools through online learning. the end of the school year, private schools are justified in bodies to do so. “We are currently discussing the problem of • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to start the collecting the delayed fees for the school year 2019-2020 as kindergarten pupils and how to deal with them in terms of 2020/2021 school year at Indian, Pakistani and Filipino long as students concluded the year and received their cer- online learning. Suggestions have been made to teach them schools in early August 2020. tificates, regardless of whether studies were held in class, in evening classes, but relevant bodies are still considering • Discussing the start of the 2020/2021 school year at all online or via any other means. The Private Education the matter,” Huwailah concluded. private schools online, and reviewing schools’ suggestions Department has not made an official statement via its social Private or foreign schools in Kuwait are divided up into a on how to implement e-learning in a way that maximizes the media channels in this regard. variety of curricula. There are American, British, Canadian benefit of students, especially for kindergarten and students Huwailah stressed that online learning - be it at the begin- and French schools that follow the curricula and calendars of with special needs. ning of August to complete the 2019-2020 school year or at their respective countries. There are Indian schools that are • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to reduce the beginning of the new academic year - is mandatory for already now teaching online in alignment with the Indian school tuitions for the period in which learning is done all, especially after MoE made it clear that students will not educational system. Pakistani, Filipino and other schools fol- remotely, in line with maintaining proper services and quality be allowed back into class for now. “The ministry has opted low along with the curricula of their homelands. There are education for students. for online education as long as the pandemic persists,” he also Arabic and bilingual schools which more closely follow Dr Huwailah said that the meeting was ‘fruitful’, adding underlined. the Kuwait public school calendar and curricula and these that the Private Education Department is currently working Huwailah added that MoE has discussed many issues are usually considered private schools but not foreign. Friday 3 Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Kuwait’s Amir leaves for US to complete treatment Amir receives cables from Kyrgyzstan President KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Highness the Amir is accompanied in wishes for him and the people of Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- his trip by Deputy National Guard Kyrgyzstan. Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Sabah left for the US early yesterday chief Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al- His Highness the Amir also a telephone call on Wednesday from for completing medical treatment fol- Jaber Al-Sabah. received a cable from Lebanese former Lebanese Prime Minister lowing his recent successful surgery. On Wednesday, His Highness the Prime Minister Hassan Diab, inquir- Saad Al-Hariri. The call was to His Highness the Amir was seen off at Amir received a cable from the ing about His Highness’ health, and inquire about His Highness the the airport by His Highness Deputy President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay expressing his best wishes, good Amir’s health, during which Hariri Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Jeenbekov, expressing best wishes and health, and prosperity for the State expressed best wishes and good Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, good health for His Highness the Amir of Kuwait. In return, His Highness the health for His Highness. In turn, His National Assembly Speaker Marzouq after his recent surgery, and prosperi- Amir sent a response cable in appre- Highness the Crown Prince His Highness the Amir Al-Ghanem, His Highness the Prime ty for the State of Kuwait. In return, ciation to the Lebanese premier for expressed gratitude and thanks for Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- His Highness the Amir sent a response his sincere words, and expressing the kind words and sentiments, Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hamad Al-Sabah, cabinet ministers cable thanking the President for his best wishes to him. expressing best wishes and good and several senior state officials. His kind sentiments and expressing best In the meantime, His Highness the health for Hariri. — KUNA 4 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020 By Nawara Fattahova riving by the Kuwait Towers, I was shocked by the disappearance of a very popular landmark - Aqua Park. The Dgate of the waterpark was locked, but demolition work could be seen through the fencing, with no slides remain- ing standing. People said Aqua Park will be rebuilt to international standards, but it’s unclear when this new park will be ready to welcome visitors - lovers of Aqua Park hope it really will be renovated. It is a great loss for resi- dents of Kuwait, as almost everyone had visited this park, apart from frequent visitors who went there every week dur- ing summertime when there is no other outdoor entertainment. Friday 5 Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Aqua Park was the first water entertainment park in serving food and drinks. Moreover, all visitors had the popular. Companies had their teams racing in different the GCC region, built in 1995 on around 60,000 square opportunity to enjoy the beach and swim in the sea. In categories and people enjoyed the competition. meters near the Kuwait Towers. It was the perfect place addition, a surfing pool used to create sea waves every We all have many memories of the great times we to spend the entire day - ticket prices were affordable, 15 minutes. spent at this waterpark. It’s very sad to lose all the there were plenty of different activities and fun. It was More attractions were added a couple of years back. entertainment places in Kuwait at the same time. The the entertainment destination for kids as well as adults. Diving with oxygen cylinders and playing underwater Ice Skating Rink was demolished two months ago dur- Four slides were for young children, while six slides was a great experience and lots of fun. Surfing also ing the total curfew, the Entertainment City is being were for adults and older kids. Small children also had attracted many visitors, but it wasn’t easy to learn. demolished after four years of closure, and Shaab Park another area with two pools and small slides. Also, the During the first few years after Aqua Park opened, was also demolished four years ago. All these historical lazy river was a must-do attraction for all visitors. Two there was an aquarium onsite with many types of rep- landmarks of Kuwait have been demolished and our new terrifying slides were added to the park two years tiles and other creatures, which later closed.