Page 198 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

518 Records oj Bahrain

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U ' Tim next point is with regard to Salaries. Earlier in this Deport I
iiRVO iiIIihIcmI to the great discrepancies with exist between tho salaries paid
to the Syrian teachers, and thoso paid to tho local tnen. In my opinion,
is no juslilication for this 6tato of affairs: and it has undoubtedly
contributed towards the fooling of inferiority amongRt tho Bahraini
teacher.**. I nm not forgotting that tho Syrian tcachors nro holdors of
university degrees, and that tho Bahrainis aro not: but to mbing ability
does not depend upon tho possession of a university degreo. A Bahraini
who bus never been out of tho Island may bo just as good a teachor, and
therefore just as useful a public servant, as a foreigner who has obtained
nciideiiiie. qualifications at two universities. I do not suggest that tho salaries
of the Syrian teachers should ho lowered—they uro not very high, compurcd
.with those paid in neighbouring stales - or that tho salaries of tho Bahrainis
should h« raised to exactly tho sumo lovcl as those of tho Syrians. Tho
Syrians have certain expenses to meet which do not apply to local mon :
they have to (ravel, and their boarding expenses in Bahrain must of
necessity he higher than ihoso of tho teachers who arc living in tboir own
homes. Whut 1 do suggest to your Highness is that tho salaries of tho local
men should he brought appreciably nearer to those of tho foreign toaohers,
not only from tho point of view of justice, but also in tho interests of a
proper feeling of national pride on the part of tho Buhrainis.

Furthermore, it is highly desirahlo that tho Education Department,
with the ussihtunco of the Inspector, should draw up a regular fixed scalo
of salnrics for all the schools in Bahrain. The present state of affairs as
regards Hilaries, as far as I was ablo to understand it, is a completely
chaotic one, and ono which is full of anomalies and injustices. It is not
for me to suggest what sularics should be paid to individual teachers, but
tho common practice of most professions seems to demand that to
some extent they should bo proportionate to length of service, and to
degree of responsibility carried. It ought to go without saying that
headmasters, for examplo, should rcccivo moro than aBsistunt mustors, yet
a glance at tho salary-list will show that this is far from boing tho practico
in Bahrain. I strongly advise yonr Highness to have a rogular and
equitahlos-oalc of salaries for tcuchors drawn up and instituted at an early date.
In addition to, and quite apart from, tho smaller question of tho
anomalies which exist botweon tho aalario9 of Balnuinis and Syrians,
between hcudinastors and assistant masters, and botweon publio servants
of long standing aud thoso who aro just boginning their publio sorvico,
.ho,whole question of tho adequacy or otherwise of teachers' salaries in
Ualmun ought to bo looked into. Tho salaries paid to toaohers in Bahrain
aro very low, -and tho quostion arises as to whether wo shull ovor bo ablo
o achieve the maximum improvement in Bahrain education unlo6s wo
ecid° tejraise tho whole standard and prostigo of tho tcachiug profession
in ip improving upon tho prosent basis of paymont. Earlior
uis Import I havo suggested a scheme undor which, iu a fow yoars
huo, luo teuobing stalls of tho Bahrain schools will havo bocomo a
umlrcd per cent Bahraini: but this can hardly happon so long as tho
nmSCI i f':iljlry basis persists, for uulos8 we aro proparod to pay our teaohore
LiPCii WM novor bo ablo to porsuado tho best of tho Bahrain
s to consider taking up teaohing as a coreor. Tho rival
vnu^Lr1!* be, fioancially, too otrong. I therefore furthor advise
J * r.,8'to ask tho Education Department to considor at an oarly
nr ® iVv.,(^or Question of tho adcquaoy or othorwiso of all tho poyraonts at
in f|Cn l5C,,n*> ma^° to schoolmasters in Bahrain. Just by way of a guide
huy Much onquiry, it may bo montioned horo that wbilo tho hoadmaetor