The decision was announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026, following directives from Minister of Education Engineer Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei and in accordance with the Comprehensive Education Regulations issued in 2026.

According to the ministry’s statement, students in the covered educational stages will now be required to complete only one short test per subject during the current academic period.

The decision applies to all intermediate and secondary school students, as well as pupils in the fourth and fifth grades of primary school.

For these students, the previously planned second short test will no longer be required under the newly approved assessment arrangements.

The ministry also announced an important provision for students who had already completed two short tests in the same subject before the decision was issued.

In such cases, the higher of the two scores will be used when calculating the student’s applicable short-test grade.

This approach is intended to ensure that students who completed their tests earlier are not disadvantaged by the changes to the assessment system.

For example, where an eligible student received different marks in two short tests for the same subject, the higher mark will be counted under the ministry’s announced rule.

However, the authorities clarified that the decision does not apply to every primary school grade.

Students in the first, second and third grades of primary school will continue following the existing system requiring two short tests for each subject.

Under the Comprehensive Education Regulations, each of those two short tests carries five marks for the affected lower-primary grades.

Consequently, the new one-test arrangement applies specifically to intermediate and secondary education and the fourth and fifth primary grades, while the first three primary grades remain under their existing assessment structure.

The Ministry of Education explained that the changes aim to promote fairness and equal opportunities among students while taking account of individual differences in academic performance.

Officials also emphasized the importance of standardizing assessment procedures across schools and ensuring that the calculation of grades remains clear and consistent.

The decision forms part of wider efforts to improve educational assessment practices and maintain an appropriate balance between measuring academic achievement and considering students’ learning circumstances.

Parents and guardians are particularly affected by the announcement because it provides clarification about how many short tests their children must complete during the current period.

It also explains how schools should handle cases involving eligible students who completed two short tests before the new arrangement was announced.

Importantly, the ministry’s decision concerns short assessments and does not state that final examinations or all other forms of academic evaluation have been cancelled.

The higher-score rule should also not be interpreted as applying automatically to unrelated examinations or grades that were not included in the official announcement.

Schools are expected to follow the relevant provisions of the Comprehensive Education Regulations and the ministry’s instructions when implementing the changes.

The Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to improving the learning environment, supporting student achievement and ensuring that assessment procedures are fair and consistent.

Parents and students are encouraged to monitor official school communications and Ministry of Education announcements for practical information about implementation and grade calculations.

The changes constitute an officially approved assessment decision for the current academic period rather than a proposal awaiting future consideration.

Source: Kuwait Ministry of Education – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) – Al Anba Newspaper – Al Jarida Newspaper.