Page 328 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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FEMALE EDUCATION
The work of the Government girls’ schools proceeded steadily throughout the year. No nejv
schools were opened hut the (|ueslion of starling a school in Ralaa was considered. In Manmuah
there was a large increase in the number of pupils, most of the new girls being’ under ten years
old. At the end of the year the number of girls in the Manamah school was 243; about one quarter
are foreign and the remainder are Bahrain subjects. The girls in the Manamah school are rep­
resentative of all classes, from the richest to the poorest. The stall consists of one Syrian head;
mistress and nine local teachers. The health of the children has definitely improved owing to the
regular daily attendance at the school of one of the Government nurses.
At Muharraq the progress has been satisfactory, though fewer new pupils entered the school
at the beginning of the year. The standard ol education at Muharraq is higher than in Manamah
which is due in a large measure to the keenness of the headmistress and the help which she gives
to the teachers. The number of pupils at the end of the year was ibi, of whom only 17 were
foreigners. Many of the daughters of the Ruling Family attend the Muharraq girls* school. The
staff consists of one Syrian headmistress, one Syrian assistant mistress, and six local teachers.
The Muharraq (.lovernment Nurse attends the school twice weekly.
'rite subjects taught in the two schools are, in general, the same but in Muharraq there jire
classes in cooking and dressmaking. Sewing and embroidery are very popular both with the
girls and the parents and the older girls now produce lirsi-rate work. This is shown in an exhibi­
tion in the schools at the end of each term.
In Hidd school there was a slight decrease in the number of pupils owing to epidemics of
measles and whooping-cough, and also because some of the parents, who in Hidd are ultra con­
servative, disapproved of the medical visits which were carried out by the Government lady doctor.
One of the Muharraq nurses now visits the school weekly. There were (>4 pupils at the end of the
year and a stall' consisting of three local teachers.
MINORS’ DEPARTMENT
The Minors’ Department, which consists of a committee under the presidency of Shaikh
Sulman bin Hamad Alkhaiifah with a superintendent and clerical stall', continued and extended
its work during the year in spile of a certain amount of opposition from the Sunni Qadis and a
few interested persons. At the end of the year it published a report of its work in the local news­
paper. It dealt with funds amounting to Rs. 95,000 and undertook the administration of 17 new
estates. Debts due to estates were recovered without recourse to courts and ny orphans were
maintained from the proceeds of their property under the department’s administration. Loans were
made at 10 per cent interest secured by properly or gold ornaments.
; Several persons who were not minors approached the department and asked that the pro­
perties which they inherited should be administered on their behalf by tlu department.
At the end of the year the Sunni Shara Court became involved in a disagreement with the
Bahrain Court relating to the administration of estates which allected the Minors’ Department.
The V}adis produced a ruling on the subject which was issued by the Bahrain Government about
14 years ago before the Minors* Department was established, and contended that conditions
to-day were the same as they were then and that the Shara only was responsible for minors.
This point of view was not accepted by the Government.
The Minors’ Department is doing much valuable work and if it had existed longer the
scandalous misappropriation of the properties of minors and widows, which is well known to
have taken place in the past, would not have been possible. The activities of ibis department
could well be ox tended to protect the rights of all minors, whether they apply for administration
or not, but this is not practicable until the department is more thoroughly established.
'Pile following is a summary of the revenue and expenditure of the department for the year
M5'l:—
Summary of Revenue and Expenditure of the Minors’ Department
REVENUE. EXPENDITURE.
Rs. Rs.
From year 1358 5>,705 >3 3 Maintenance of minors ... K.343 2 .1
Income from estates 15.34* M >° Properties bought ... 3,549 1 6
Debts recovered 8,204 4 4 Repairs to properties 8,014 5 1
Rents collected <1,103 7 11 Various payments 8,218 9 7
Repayment of loans 0.5<)« 5 3 Loans advanced ... 32,477 7 o
Interest on loans 1)04 15 o Balance in hand ... 35.3*6 3 3

Total ... <)4,<)i8 12 7 Total ... 94,91* 7

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