Page 327 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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At the beginning of the year under review tin* Government received the Report on Technicar
Kducution in Bahrain compiled bv Mr. (i. H. Mulchings, F.G.S., Principal of the HughdncB
Technical School, who had visited Bahrain during the previous month in order to study the
question on the spot. Tliis excellent and exhaustive document, which was complete with plans
and specifications for a greatly enlarged Technical School, received high praise when shewn to
Mr. M. Thornburg, the Vice President of the Bahrain Petroleum Company, for whose service
the majority of our Technical School hoys are being trained. The Government adopted the report
and npproved.wifh a few minor modifications, the plans for building, and work on the new school
was eventually started. One large win# is now almost ready for occupation. Towards the end of
the year, in view of the expansion of its technical training scheme and the increasing demand
for places in the new school, the Government decided to provide it with a lirst-elass British
Principal, and negotiations to that end are now proceeding.
A special class for shaikhs of the Ruling Family was opened early in the year, instruction-
being given in Arithmetic, Arabic, and Knglish. Nineteen shaikhs enrolled, and at first the
attendance was good, but as the novelty wore oil' attendance steadily declined, and now only a
few come regularly to the classes. Tltcir almost total lack of previous schooling, combined with
their age, makes their instruction extremely ditlicull, and in some, cases almost impossible. The
shaikhs are, however, now very much keener on sending their own sons to the Government
schools than they were even a year ago, and if this continues it will mean that illiteracy amongst
the' Ruling Family will eventually disappear. ✓

During the year the leaching stalls of the boys’ schools have voluntarily contributed Rs. 1,000
towards the purchase of fighter aeroplanes for the British forces.
With the appointment by the Government of I)r. R. II. B. Snow as State Medical Ollicor
the health position in the Government schools has greatly improved. All of them are now regularly
visited by Dr. Snow or his assistants, and thorough medical examinations, followed by treatment,
have been carried out at the Kulliyah and at the large schools of Manamah and Muharraq. The
State Medical Officer has energetically tackled the problem of cyc-discase, with good results,
one of which is that the boys are now beginning to lake an intelligent interest in their
own eyesight, and to seek medical help when they need it. Talks on health arc now given in the
schools, and a thousand copies of a small treatise, on malaria have been passed on to their homes
by the boys, after previous careful explanation of the subject by the teachers in the classrooms.
Towards the end of the year the Government decided upon the appointment of a special school
doctor, to work under the State Medical Officer, and steps are now being taken to find a
suitable man.
The above is a brief account of what lias been effected during the past year; but it must be
emphasised that we are at present only at the beginning of our main task, which is the
improvement of Government education in Bahrain. What has now been provided is little more
than the framework necessary to a successful scheme of education: the standard of education
itself, though improving daily, is still very low, and this only time can remedy. In every school
in the Island the numbers have risen, but this has only loo often been due to the private efforts
of the new headmasters, who arc anxious to shew results. We are gradually succeeding in
impressing upon their minds the fact that numbers are of no importance whatever, when compared,
with the quality of the instruction given.—
School Registered Regular Attendants
Manamah College 27 -7
Manamah School 3*6 300
Muharraq School 2H8 235
Hidd School 172 *35
Budayyi’ School 72 50
Rufa* School 97 7»
Sit rah School 55 3*
Suq-AI-Khatnis School ... 101 75
Technical School 35 35
Total ... 1,233 •J73