Kuwait Education Ministry Launches Smartphone-Based Fingerprint Attendance System

Kuwait’s Ministry of Education has initiated a major digital transformation of its attendance tracking system for educational staff. The ministry launched the first phase of a new smartphone-based fingerprint attendance system on January 20, 2025, marking a significant shift in employee management practices within the education sector. The implementation builds upon Kuwait’s broader national biometric initiative, which achieved 98 percent compliance among citizens last year.

The newly implemented system operates through a mobile application that enables teachers and staff to record their attendance using their smartphones. This digital solution has been designed to work alongside and potentially supersede the conventional fingerprint scanners previously installed throughout Kuwait’s schools.

The smartphone application offers enhanced accessibility for teachers who may have experienced difficulties with stationary fingerprint scanners. The system provides real-time attendance monitoring capabilities, enabling more efficient staff management. This new approach aims to address various challenges that were associated with the previous fingerprint system, including hardware maintenance costs and device reliability issues.

This implementation follows several key developments in Kuwait’s education sector. In August 2023, the ministry contracted for 2,770 fingerprint devices for public schools at a cost of 350,000 Kuwaiti dinars (approximately $1.1 million). Throughout 2024, various government sectors, including education, implemented different fingerprint attendance systems, including a “third fingerprint” requirement for government employees.

The initiative aligns with broader efforts to modernize Kuwait’s public sector operations. In August 2024, the Ministry introduced new attendance regulations incorporating facial recognition or fingerprint verification during official working hours. The Civil Service Commission has been actively implementing stricter attendance measures across government departments, part of a comprehensive digital transformation strategy.

The education ministry will monitor the system’s performance and effectiveness during its initial phase, with outcomes expected to become apparent in the following months. The success of this program could serve as a model for other government departments considering similar digital transformation initiatives.

Sources: Arab Times

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January 21, 2025 – by Ji-seo Kim