Page 181 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad spent six months in England with a tutor at
Oxford learning English. The cost of this special education was paid by the
Government.
Several young men from Bahrain are being educated in Iraq and India, at
their parents expense.
5. Girls Schools. The number of students at the Manama and Muharraq
Girls schools has increased. A new headmistress was appointed in Muharraq who
was trained at the British Syrian Training College. Both schools have begun a
domestic economy class for the older girls which includes cooking lessons, this is a
popular innovation.
The new Muharraq school was completed during the year and taken over at
the beginning of the school term. It is a light airy building although situated in the
middle of the town and surrounded by houses.
The progress in the girls schools is on the whole more satisfactory than
progress in the boys 6chool6. The girls have no incentive to leave school before
completing their whole course and as the age for marriage is becoming later than it
used to be many girls remain at school until they are 15 or 16 years old.
6. General. There has been a general increase in the number of students
attending government schools so much that the Manama school is now filled to its
capacity. The age of the eldest students is considerably younger than it used t; be
a few years ago the reason being that as soon as boys acquire a slight knowledge of
English and a little general education their parents make them leave school and find
employment. This system is most unsatisfactory. Boys leave schools before they
are properly trained and without sufficient knowledge and education to rise in the
posts which they obtain. Employers of labour complain that boys from the schools
are uneducated and therefore not suitable for promotion and the parents complain
that because their sons do not obtain rapid promotion the education system must be
at fault.
Minors Department.
For several years the Bahrain Government has been gravely concerned at
the mismanagement of the property of orphans and minors by persons appointed by
will or by the Shera courts as guardians of estates. Innumerable cases of
misappropriation have become known and frequently guardians and administrators
have made away with all the property entrusted to their care. Ths Shera Kadis,
who should pretect the rights of minors, acquiesed in this scandaloue:state of affairs
and opposed various attempts of the Government to impose legislation to protect
the interests of minors.
In the spring of 1937 discussions were opened with the Shia Ka^is about
making a special department for dealing with the estates of minors. The Shia Kadis,
very reluctantly, agreed to some form of organisation provided that control was kept
in their hands. No effeotive arrangement was arrived at and the matter lapsed.
Shortly afterwards a rich Bahrani died leaving an estate worth about
Rs 40,000. The estate was administered by the Shia Kadis and the manner in
which it was dealt with caused public comment.
Another wealthy man died intestato but before the Kadis began to deal with
the estate the heirs of the deceased and a number of prominent Shias requested the
Government to act as administrator.
A special committee was appointed to divide the estate, which was valued at
nearly 1 lakh, and to deal with the share of the minor heirs. The Shia Kadis
strongly resented this action but public opinion was in favour of removing the
administration from the hands of the Kadis.
On 28th March 1938 a number of leading Arabs and Bahrana were invited to
attend a meeting, at which Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa presided, to discuss the formation
of a regular government department for administering' estates of minors. The Shia
representatives were unanimous in agreeing to the proposal but one or two of the