Page 524 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

512 Records of Bahrain

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Memorandum on Education in the Schools of the Governments of
Bahrain and Kuwait by Mr. F.J. Wakelin, Educational Adviser,
Bahrain and Kuwait,

Apart from the need for educated youths in Government
Departments the work of the oil companies in Bahrain, Kuwait
and Eastorn Saudia Arabia will absorb all whom we can
produce for sevorul years to como. Clerical und techivical
traineos are already being sought and the demand will
increase as the new production programmes come into action.
This expansion of the oil Industry will -mean also a general
development of trade and the creation of new opportunities
for private bus&nuss.
In both Bahrain and. Kuwait tho demand for education is
not yet being fully met. any new buildings or extensions
added in the past four years have oeen utilised for pupils

already at school rather than for new entrants, in the
process of reducing tho number of children per room to a
workable limit, Only in the Lower School are more than 30
children found in one group. Bow Infunt Schools are

required at once in both states to reduce this figure still
further und to accommodate the 200 or so who are turned away
each year through lack of accommodation, This will entail
the engagement of additional trained teachers.
£ The work that has been begun in Bahrain und Kuwait is
merely the prelude to tho development of a coordinated
educational system throughout the Gulf and Eastern Saudia Arabia.
V/ithin this area there is nothing to compare v/ith the schools
of Bahrain or Kuwait except in tho Hejjaz, which province 4s
so remote that it cun scarcely be included in our sphere.
In rapidly increasing numbers boys from Saudia Arabia and other
neighbouring states are joining our schools. At present we
are able.to provide a sound primary course of seven years and .
on introduction to a secondary education of three years.