Purpose: This paper analyses the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education's (MOE's) response during the pandemic by exploring the situation of public schooling in Kuwait and the reasons behind the failure of the MOE to provide education during the global COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach: This study explores the policymaking process and the policy decisions by analysing how the MOE managed education during the crisis, by analysing the MOE's press announcements. Findings: This article identifies opportunities the MOE missed over the past 18 years to implement online learning, and how by pausing all learning during this pandemic these resulted in the challenges the MOE is facing today. The main reasons behind this failure are not related to financial resources, but attributable to the professional capacity of the MOE's leaders to handle the education sector during this crisis. This included hesitation about making decisions and the lack of readiness of the school infrastructure. The paper concludes by offering recommendations that could inform future policy planning. Originality/value: This paper offers insights into the educational policymaking process in Kuwait, especially during times of crisis.