Comparative Education on the Map of Teacher Preparation Programme in Kuwait

Overview & Synopsis

Comparative education represents one of the main topics included in teacher preparation programmes in most countries. This subject is critical for future teachers because it represents a window through which learners can look at other educational systems and see how they are managed and what sort of policies and educational philosophies are used. Having a quick look at the prospectus of the faculty of education at Kuwait University and that of the faculty of basic education at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training--institutions responsible for teacher education in Kuwait--one finds no sign of the subject of comparative education on the map of teacher preparation programmes. The research described in this article seeks to answer the following questions: (1) How did comparative education develop as a multi-disciplinary subject? (2) What does comparative education mean for teacher education? (3) What is the current situation of comparative education on the map of teacher preparation programmes in Kuwait? and (4) How can comparative education be implemented as a subject to enrich the teacher preparation programmes in Kuwait? A descriptive-analytical approach was used to complete the study. The article concludes with recommendations, including a sample syllabus, for implementing comparative education as an educational subject in the teacher education programmes in Kuwait.