Page 185 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

The progress of state education, 1939-1941 505

127

('oiHcioiwncaa of National Independence. It is absolutely ossontial, if
,i;llii„ii^u in the boys ia to bo dovclopod to tho fullest dogroo, that they
nhoiiM be given a strong consciousness of national iudcpondonco. This
coibciousuc>8 cannot exist side by sido with a slavish imitation of tho
mcibtul* and institutions of other countries. Again and again, whilo I
was veiling the schools, and especially whenever I had cuuso to point out
some fault or weakness in tho educational syatom, 1 was mot with tho
rejoinder: “But this is what is done in ‘Iraq." But ‘Iraq is one of tho
youngest of the nations, still experimouting with hor now-found liberty,
while Bahraiu has behind hor a long history of freodom and indopondonco,
and it is therefore uot lilting that tho oldor Stato should bo continually
looking to tho younger for guidunco and for oxainplo. I think thoro is no
doubt whatever that this dependent attitudo has been importod into
Iho Babraiu schools by the Syrian teachers, and unless wo put an oarly
stop to it wo cannot expoct to find, or to bo able to dovelop, an indopondent
outlook ou the part of the boys. Quito apart from this, sinco our aim is
to cstublish in Bahrain a suporior typo of education, thoro cau bo littlo
iu the educational systoms of neighbouring countries whioh would bo
worth copying. I suggest that firm instructions should bo given by your
Highness that tho new Inspector shall do his utmost to stamp out in
the schools this wholly uudosirublo tondonoy to look to aud to loan upon
neighbouring states, in mattora which aro tho concern of Bahrain alone.
Tho boys should bo taught that Bahrain is fully capable of stauding on
her own feet, and of planning and conducting hor owu institutions in her
own way. Their miuds should bo impressed with a strong consciousness
of national indopendonco and national solf-roliunco, and if this cau bo
done, we shall bo a long way on tho road towards tho fullost dogroo of
patriotism.