The Ministry of Social Affairs has initiated a detailed study into tuition fees at nurseries across Kuwait to ease financial pressures on families while upholding operational standards at all facilities. Undersecretary Dr. Khaled Al-Ajmi outlined the review as a response to varying fee structures that reflect differences in services and amenities provided by individual centers. The examination forms part of ongoing efforts to balance accessibility with quality in early childhood care.
Dr. Khaled Al-Ajmi reported that the ministry exercises continuous supervision over 462 licensed nurseries in accordance with official regulations and executive bylaws. The authority received 64 applications for new licenses during the current year and rejected 50 of them after determining they failed to satisfy legal and technical requirements. Al-Ajmi noted that investment in the sector is welcomed provided applicants demonstrate full compliance with safety and staffing criteria.
According to the ministry’s briefing, authorities have completed 75 inspection tours focused on adherence to rules governing age groupings and fee practices. A new electronic platform called My Nursery is set to improve real-time monitoring and deliver streamlined services to both operators and parents. These tools support the fee study by supplying accurate data on current market rates and compliance levels.
The ministry’s inspection records identified violations at 10 nurseries, while an additional 20 facilities flagged in earlier rounds had addressed some issues yet continued to exhibit shortcomings. Most infractions involved administrative or regulatory matters rather than direct threats to child welfare. Two nurseries faced temporary closure over the past three years for repeated breaches of executive regulations.
In instances where child safety may be compromised, the Ministry of Social Affairs immediately engages the Juvenile Protection Department to implement protective measures. Al-Ajmi stressed that the guiding principle remains prevention of harm, adding that the ministry applies graduated responses starting with warnings before escalating to penalties. The undersecretary affirmed that thorough vetting of all license requests protects young children enrolled in these centers.
