Page 35 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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draft Regulation to effect this(3') was under consideration at the end of 1953, but
the Bahrain Government had still to be consulted.
25. Bahrain Government schools have existed throughout the period under
review. In 1939 a Syrian Inspector of Education was dismissed and a British
Director appointed. In 1941 a new technical school was completed and a British
principal placed in charge of it. The British Director of Education and Principal
of the Technical School both left in 1945 and no replacements could be found in
the United Kingdom. In 1946 the Ruler asked for a British Director of Education
and a British Headmaster for the Manamah secondary school but it was found
impossible to fill the posts. In 1947 he appointed a Bahraini Director of Education
and since then has refused to consider the employment of any British teachers
in his Education Department. In 1951 however he did accept the services of two
British teachers made available by the Bahrain Petroleum Company for the
teaching of English. It is the policy of the Bahrain Government to employ as
many Bahraini teachers as possible but there is a dearth of candidates and educated
Bahrainis can usually find more lucrative employment with the oil companies.
As a consequence a number of Egyptians, Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians are
employed in this capacity. The British Council representative at Basra visits
Bahrain from time to time and assists the Bahrain Government in the training of
. local teachers and the recruitment of foreign teachers, and with advice generally.
26. A fine new secondary school and a hostel were opened at Manamah in
195 T. In 1952 162 boys were studying in this school, about 3,800 in kindergarten
and primary schools, and 66 in the technical school. A number of the primary
schools are located in the villages and three of them were built by the Bahrain
Petroleum Company and presented to the Bahrain Government. All the primary
schools are full and boys often have to be refused admission for lack of
accommodation. There is not a very great demand for secondary education and
the higher classes are poorly attended. Most of the boys as soon as they have
acquired a smattering of English seek employment with the oil companies or in
businesses in the towns. Technical education is not popular and little appears to
be done to make it so. A few boys go on from the secondary school to the
American University Beirut either on scholarships granted by the Bahrain
Government or the Bahrain Petroleum Company, or at their parents’ expense.
A few boys have also been sent by their parents to schools in the United Kingdom.
Female education flourishes under Lady Belgrave who is Directress of Girls’
Education. In 1952 the attendance was 1,964 including a secondary class with an
attendance of II. An annual Needlework Exhibition is held.
27. An important problem with which the Bahrain Government has to deal
is the conservation of its water supplies. The date-gardens at the northern end
of the main island and on some of the smaller islands are irrigated from natural
springs and artesian wells. At the beginning of the period under review there was
much haphazard sinking of wells which led to a fall in the water-table. In 1933
the Ruler issued a decree forbidding the sinking of wells in certain areas. In 1941
a further prohibition was issued and in 1948 a Water Conservation Committee,
which included a geologist from the Bahrain Petroleum Company, was set up to
consider all applications for the drilling of new wells. A scheme has been
considered from time to time for making additional water available for irrigation
by pumping it up from fresh water springs which are known to exist under the sea.
There is additional land which could be brought under cultivation but difficulty
might be experienced in finding the manpower to till it. At the end of 1953
Mr. Crawford of the British Middle East Office submitted a report on the water
resources of Bahrain and recommended that the local Government should engage
a firm of consultants to examine them.(3')
28. Bahrain’s date gardens supply the local population with its requirements
of dates for about eight months in the year. Lucerne and vegetables are also
grown. The Bahrain Government have for many years had an experimental farm
at Budaiya on the western coast of the main island but up to date it appears to
have achieved little. The Government of India sent an Indian agricultural expert
to Bahrain before the war but his report was only received after a long delay
/«) p r to FO. 16432/3 of December 10. 1951 (EA 1471/2 of 1951).
(”) P.R. to F.O. 1087/11/53 of December 22. 1953 (EA 11010/2 of 1953).