Page 201 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

The progress oj state education, 1939-1941 521

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V; Tlio next point is about Sccrot Roports. By theso I moan accusations
nr complaints, written by euporioiB about thoir subordinates, and sent
Without their knowledge) to higher authority.
•
4,. \ The secret report, which nourishes in all tho Arab educational systoms,
ijjtofroin overy point of view an odious and unworthy institution. It doo3
■biirin to tho characters of all concerned, for it breeds servility and hypocrisy
ji#8ubordinates, • and fostors partiality, viudiolivonoss, and injustice in
superiors. I want to suggest that your Highness should adopt in tho
jjqkools of Bahrain tho English oy6toin of opon roports. This Bystom
Requires that if a subordinate is to bo complained about vorbally, ho must
himself bo present when tho complaint is inudo, and ho hus tho right, then
and there, to make his defence ; aud that if ho is to bo compluincd about in
^writing, ho must bo shown all that has been written about him, aud ho
has tho right, if ho disagrees with what has been said, to add, on the samo
sheet of paper, his own version of tho matter. In any caso, ho must bo
required to add his siguaturo at tho foot of tho report, as cvidouco that it
hus been shown to him.
In tho interests of fair aud just administration, it would be a wiso act
for your llighucss to issue an order to tho effect that no verbal complaiut
shull he heard by tho Education Department, or by tho Inspector, uuless
the person complained about is present, and that uny written complaint
which reaches those authorities without bearing upon it tho siguaturo of tho
subordinate concerned shull bo put into tho wa6to-papor-baskct unread. If
this is douo, wo eball very quickly wituoss a frauker aud moro healthy
atiuosphcro amongst tho teaching stall, and a moro satisfactory relationship
between the teaching stall and tho Inspector. Eor reasous which I havo
already discussed, this innovation would bo of special help and benefit to
lioso of tho teachers who aro Bahrainis.