New hiring rules set to fast-track citizen employment in cooperatives

• The Council of Ministers backs Kuwaitization, with Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs, urging faster recruitment to fill co-op vacancies and maximize citizen employment.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is finalizing regulations for a new mechanism to “Kuwaitization” vacant supervisory roles in cooperative societies, including managers, deputies, and department heads. Al-Jarida newspaper has learned that candidates must pass rigorous written tests designed by specialists to qualify for these positions.

According to sources from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the ministry, represented by the Cooperation Sector, has collaborated with public and private universities to develop a comprehensive framework for the new testing mechanism. The aim is to ensure that candidates are well-qualified to lead cooperative societies.

The sources added that the ministry introduced these tests after observing that the current mechanism was not achieving its intended results. This was evident from the low number of citizens who received actual employment decisions in cooperative societies, despite nearly two years having passed since Ministerial Resolutions No. 67 and 68 of 2023, which amended regulations on cooperative work and outlined the requirements and benefits for supervisory positions.

Filtering job seekers

The sources confirmed that the “Kuwaitization” process is receiving strong backing from the Council of Ministers and is being closely monitored by Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs.

The minister has repeatedly emphasized the need to accelerate recruitment in cooperative societies and fill vacant supervisory positions to accommodate the largest possible number of qualified citizens.

She highlighted that once implemented, the testing mechanism will effectively filter job seekers, selecting only the most competent candidates and ensuring a swift hiring process.

Administrative restructuring

Meanwhile, the newspaper has learned that the Civil Service Council has approved the Ministry of Social Affairs’ request to streamline its administrative structure by eliminating certain departments and merging others. This move aims to optimize resources, reduce redundancy, and adapt to technological advancements, particularly in digital transformation and automation.

Among the departments slated for elimination is the Research and Statistics Department within the Planning and Administrative Development Sector, whose supervision and two sections (Research and Statistics) will be merged with the Administrative Development Department in the same sector.

Sources revealed that Dr. Al-Huwailah has instructed each assistant undersecretary to submit recommendations regarding potential mergers to facilitate informed decision-making. Additional department mergers are expected soon.

The sources added that since assuming office, Dr. Al-Huwailah has been committed to streamlining operations by reducing overlapping departments, ensuring greater efficiency, and enhancing service delivery. Given the ministry’s role as one of the largest service providers in the country, catering to diverse segments of society, she believes that a more agile structure will better serve the public.