Page 80 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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maintained by the State and in 1945 a hostel was opened in Cairo for Kuwaitis
studying there. In 1946 these numbered 57. From this time onwards education
made rapid progress in Kuwait though as in Bahrain (Chapter 2, paragraph 20)
the higher secondary classes were poorly attended and there was little demand tor
advanced education. The local authorities welcomed occasional visits from the
British Council representative at Basra but attempts which were made from time
to time to persuade them to employ British teachers for the teaching of English
all failed.
32. In 1950 the Kuwait Government dispensed with the services of the
Egyptian Director of Education and teachers and employed Palestinians instead.
They also decided not to send more students to Cairo and to allow their hostel
there to die a natural death. In 1952 an Egyptian Educational Mission was back
again, but a Kuwaiti who had previously been in charge of the hostel at Cairo
was made Director of Education with the previous Palestinian Director as his
adviser. From 1949 onwards very large sums of money were devoted to the
building of new schools (paragraph 21 above) and it became the policy of the State
to provide free education with every possible amenity, including free meals for all.
The new secondary school which is being built on an enormous scale is reported
to be designed in due course to become a university.
33. In 1953 there were over 50 Kuwaiti boys studying in the United Kingdom
for whose welfare the Ruler has made Kemp responsible. The latter is primarily
the Ruler’s representative in London under his agreements with the Kuwait Oil
Company(3‘) and the American Independent Oil Company but has developed into
a general Kuwait agent and, amongst other things, deals with the recruitment of
British staff for the Kuwait Government.!32) For dealing with the students he
employs an organisation which styles itself International Education. He is unwilling
to co-operate with the British Council and the Foreign Office are not satisfied with
the arangements he makes for the students.(33) In 1953 there was trouble over three
paternity cases. These cases also caused embarrassment in Kuwait as although
the students are willing to marry the girls concerned, the Ruler will not allow
them to bring British wives back to Kuwait.
34. The rapid spread of education in Kuwait and the employment of a large
number of teachers from Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East have been
matters of concern to Her Majesty’s Government, who fear the spread of subversive
ideas and the emergence of a class of political agitators. To counteract
subversive influences efforts have been made as already stated (paragraph 31 above)
to persuade the Kuwait Government to employ some British teachers, and a
proposal is under consideration to establish a British Institute at Kuwait. The
Kuwait Government have refused to employ British teachers on the grounds that
only the Egyptians produce examinations in Arabic recognised by the Arab world
and that they have made supervision of education by qualified Egyptian teachers
a condition for allowing Kuwaitis to enter universities in Egypt.(34) It was not
known at the end of 1953 whether funds would be forthcoming for the establish­
ment of a British Institute nor had the Ruler been formally consulted on the
subject. The Kuwait Oil Company had, however, been asked whether they would
be willing to contribute to its cost.!33)
35. Justice in Kuwait is administered, at any rate in theory, according to
Muhammadan Law, but there appears to be no proper organisation of the Courts.
Abdullah al Jabir (paragraph 3 above) presides over a High Court which deals
with commercial cases by delegating them to a Commercial Committee (Majlis
al Tujjar). Cases of personal status and of murder and manslaughter are dealt
with by the Shara’ Court over which an Egyptian Qadhi presides. Other criminal
cases are handled by the Police, i.e., by Subah al Salim in the town and by
Abdullah al Mubarak outside it. No codes appear to be followed in these cases
and justice is administered arbitrarily. Floggings are common but no case of the
cutting off of a hand for theft has been reported. Some Kuwaitis are beginning
to complain at the absence of organised justice but do not dare to make their views
known to those in authority.
(•*) I.O. toF.O. Ext 1200 of June 2. 1947 (E 4751/63/91 of 1947).
(M) P R. to F.O. 1044/103 of December 18. 1951 (EA 1052/49 of 1951).
(“) (EA 1744/13 of 1953.)
(I4) P.R. to F.O. 1746/11 /53 of April 22. 1953 (EA 1743/2 of 1953).
(“) (EA 1751/4 of 1953.)