Page 252 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

572 Records of Bahrain

continuing thoir school studies in the very limited ’third stage1
school. Most of those who loave at about .14 years of age v/ill bo
boys of good all-round ability, having passed successfully yoar
by yoar through a general school course. At that stage they will
be able' to read and write Arabic and will have some knowledge of
English. They should have also a foundation of arithmetic and
'•oneral knowledge. As time goes on there will be a larger number
of boys available at this stage, so that it will bo possible to
select for the Technical School candidates with real aptitude for
manual training.
Under the existing conditions of life and work MAINTENANCE
in Dahrain it would not be possible for the State OF STUDENTS,
to discontinue its contribution towards the support
of students undergoing technical training. If re­
muneration or its equivalent’ were withdrawn, a large number of
otherwise eligible students would be unable to ontor the Technical
School, and would drift into unskilled labour or menial work in
the shops and offices of the' market. The payment of student^ in
money, representing apprentices’ wages5 is simple and convenient
from the point of view of the Administration) but it has few other
advantages, The only satisfactory method of dealing with the
economic problem of industrial training for boys in Dahrain is to
have a boarding school with compulsory residence.
The first great advahtiige of a boarding ADVANTAGES OF THE
school is that excellent dispipllne and BOARDING SYSTEM.
punctuality can be maintained. Secondly,
without the boarding system technical education would bo practical­
ly confined to boys in Manama and its near neighbourhood. Thirdly,
the physical welfare and recreation of the boys would receive
proper attention. It. should be noted also that the cost of
maintaining a boarding house in Bahrain would hot bo high*
I venture to place these Considerations SUCCESS OF THE
before your Higlmess because I can speak from BOARDING SYSTEM
experience of the great' success of the board- IN 'IRAQ,
ing system in the 'Iraq Government Technical
School in Baghdad, where the problem of industrial training is in
jiuny respects similar to that in Bahrain. The success and
reputation of the Baghdad Technical School is due mainly to the
regularity of the students' life and training in an environment
free from the evils of either poverty or luxury and from the
nischievous influences which ordinarily beset the lives of middle
and lower class Arab boys,
Discipline is of the highest importance in discipline.
technical education. The officials of the Bahrain
Oil Company gave mo many instances of their disciplinary problems
In conneotion v/lth local employees. Many of their men aro un­
punctual in their attendance and devoid of only sense of responsi­
bility in the discharge of their duties. They are unaccustomed
to the aoceptunce or exercise of authority, and in many cusos
jould give up their posts rather than submit to the regularity oi
industrial conditions. These troubles would rarely arise among
ton and youths who had received training under rigorous conditions
In a boarding school, whore punctuality becomes second nature,
fnoro misconduct is readily checked, and where authority /And
responsibility ure distributed down a scale from the head of the
establishment to the latest newcomer
Ohiy by means of the boarding system STUDENTS OUTSIDE
eould technical education be extended to boys MANAMA.
from all parts of Bahrain. It may be argued
viiat Manama alone could provide more tnon sufficient boys for the
technical School, and that after all the vocational problem is
more
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