International Journal of Language & Linguistics

An Overview of the History of EFL in The State of Kuwait
Mohammad Almutairi, Seham Al-Abdullah

Abstract
The educational system in Kuwait has undergone remarkable development over the years. It began in the early 20th century with a limited number of small private schools known as Al-Katatib, where only boys were taught Arabic and the Holy Quran. Following the discovery of oil in the late 1930s, the government established two public schools in the capital city of Kuwait; however, the curriculum continued to focus solely on Arabic and Islamic studies for boys. After gaining independence in 1961, Kuwait experienced an educational revolution, marked by the rapid establishment of schools across the country and the recruitment of qualified teachers from other countries such as Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt. It was during this period that English as a foreign language (EFL) was first introduced to both boys and girls. This study employs a narrative method to illuminate and document the extensive journey of EFL education in Kuwait.

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