The American International School of Kuwait (AIS) is a private, independent , co-educational day school serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. The school opened in 1991 after Kuwait was liberated from occupying Iraqi forces. Dr. Kamil Al Rayes, the founder, sought to create a school of high caliber with a rigorous, yet relaxed atmosphere that would provide opportunities for local and expatriate children to gain access to the world's best universities. During the first year, twenty-five teachers and 300 students dealt with shortages of textbooks and classroom supplies, an inadequate library and a skeleton curriculum. The school developed rapidly. In October of 1994, it became fully accredited and in the ensuing years dedicated professionals worked hard to develop what has become an excellent university preparatory school with 1600 students.