Kuwait City, Aug 22 (IANS): The first batch of Palestinian teachers returned to Kuwait after a gap of 25 years for the 2017-18 school year.

The Kuwaiti government had agreed last year to lift a ban on hiring Palestinian teachers, many who had left the country during Iraq's 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Kuwaiti Education Ministry signed contracts in April with 105 Palestinian math and science teachers.

Haitham Al-Athari, undersecretary of the Education Ministry, told the media on Monday that the ministry sought to hire Palestinian teachers "whose expertise would contribute to educational improvement".

Al-Athari added that the ministry was keen to recruit excellent teachers regardless of their nationalities, though Kuwaiti teachers remain the main contributor to elevating the teaching process to higher levels.

Mohammad Al-Huwailah, chairman of the Education Committee at the National Assembly, said he was confident the Palestinian teachers would boost Kuwait's educational level.

Palestinian teachers accounted for 49 per cent of overall teachers in Kuwait between 1965 and 1975.