Kuwait’s Ministry of Education reported a decrease in cheating and disqualification cases during the Grade 12 final exams on June 23, 2026, as Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs Hamad Al-Hamad visited centers and observed smooth operations with rising passing rates.
Al-Hamad’s assessment, delivered during a tour of Abdulaziz Al-Babtain School in the Jahra educational district, pointed to enhanced student preparation, discipline and awareness as the main drivers behind the improved indicators compared with prior years. The ministry has attributed the trend in part to stricter enforcement measures that include a 2025 law imposing penalties of up to 10 years in prison for exam leaks or grade tampering. According to earlier ministry data cited by Kuwait Times, only 136 cheating cases were logged in the first two days of the 2024 secondary examinations, a marked reduction from 1,741 deprivations recorded across a full season in 2023.
The Jahra district operates 24 secondary schools, 10 for boys and 14 for girls, that together serve approximately 7,900 Grade 12 students, the ministry’s district breakdown shows. Of those examinees, 5,400 follow the science stream while 2,400 are enrolled in humanities, leaving a small remainder accounted for by late registrations or transfers. Six private schools with roughly 1,200 additional candidates are using public facilities for the tests, Al-Hamad’s briefing confirmed, ensuring all students receive equivalent oversight under unified ministerial protocols.
Nationwide more than 41,000 students have begun the Grade 12 finals for the 2025-26 academic year, a figure the Ministry of Education released ahead of the June 21 opening that was later adjusted to avoid overlap with the Hijri New Year holiday. The ministry stated that comprehensive logistical preparations, including reinforced staffing and digital monitoring tools, have been deployed to safeguard fairness across all districts. Al-Hamad, speaking after the site visit, commended school administrators and examination committee members for maintaining calm and orderly conditions that allow candidates to perform without distraction.
The current decline continues a multi-year pattern the ministry has documented since it intensified anti-cheating campaigns following isolated leak incidents in 2023 that prompted temporary arrests by the Interior Ministry. A KUNA dispatch quoted Al-Hamad emphasising that student safety and equitable testing remain top priorities, with flexible contingency plans prepared for any unforeseen disruptions. The undersecretary further noted that the measures align with directives from Minister Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei aimed at creating a supportive environment that encourages academic integrity rather than punitive outcomes alone.
Ministry officials have indicated that final tallies for the entire examination period will be published once all subjects conclude, allowing comparison against both the 2024 baseline of reduced early-stage violations and the higher historical averages. The approach integrates awareness workshops delivered before the exams with on-site surveillance, according to the ministry’s published readiness statement. Such layered safeguards have helped shift the focus toward academic achievement, as evidenced by the preliminary rise in passing percentages Al-Hamad observed on the fourth day of testing.
