Page 388 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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EDUCATION.

Government Boys’ Schools.
The past year has seen several changes of major importance in the Education Department.
The total number of boys attending the schools has not increased to any great extent as this is limited
by the size of the school buildings, all of which have been filled to capacity for some time. As is to be
expected the lower classes are the greatest in size while the numbers in the higher classes are consi­
derably reduced, the average figure being 16 for the big schools and 12 for the village schools. At the
beginning of the school year in Shaaban the total number of pupils registered was 1,200, about 75
per cent attending regularly. As the year progresses there is always a decrease of about 5 per cent
in the town schools and 10 per cent in the villages.
During the early summer there was much discontent among the Palestinian staff. It seems
that they were under the impression that they had been asked to come down from Palestine in
order to raise the standard of teaching and therefore should be given senior posts at once, although
most of them had far less experience than our older Bahrain masters. Many cases of insubordination
occurred. Minor grievances were enlarged upon and all kinds of petty complaints were put forward.
These culminated in a strike of most of the Palestinians and the repatriation of the ringleader.
At the end of the school year three of the senior foreign staff resigned for family reasons ; one
a Palestinian and the others Syrians.
Mr. Adrian Vallance left the Department in Jumada A1 Awal (June 1941) and Mr. F. J. Wakelin
of the British Council, Cairo, took his place in Shaaban. (October 1941.)
Ten new members of the staff were recruited locally : four to replace the foreign teachers who
had left at the end of the term; one as Head Master to the Secondary School; four for the lower
classes of schools where the ratio of pupils to teachers was too high and an Indian for the Secondary
School. In Shaaban, the beginning of the School Year, another class of 25 boys was added to the
Kulliyeh . These had been picked from the three town schools by formal examination and con­
siderations of health and intelligence, 11 were chosen from Manamah, 9 from Muharraq and 5
from Hedd. This brought the total of both classes to 45.
The former name of " Kulliyah ” was changed to that of Secondary School (Madraset A1
Thanawieh) in accordance with the practice in other Arab countries.
Since the opening of the Secondary School in 1360 it had been possible for boys living in Hedd
and Muharraq to obtain a free mid-day meal and in some cases free board during the week. The new
term brought further applications for these facilities which were then developed and rationalised.
All Hedd boys were provided with free accommodation and board while all Muharraq boys were given
a free mid-day meal six days per week. 5 students from Kuwait and three from Hedd who were,
studying at the Technical School were also accommodated at the Hostel. Arrangements were made
for the introduction of fees for those who could afford to pay, from the 1st Muharram 1361.
The post of Head Master and Warden of the Hostel was created. This entails the supervision
of both the school and the boarding section. An assistant master was given a room in the school
building so that he might take charge after school hours. Rules regulating the times of rising and
retiring, of exercise, study and meals were introduced.
Dr. Kidar Nath who has worked for some years in Bahrain in the Medical Department was
appointed Schools Doctor in Dil Qaada. Every school is visited twice a week, stores of medicines
and drugs being kept at each school. Owing to the efforts of Dr. Snow there has been a marked
decrease in eye disease and the general standard of health is improving. There was no epidemic in
the school throughout the year. A film of Anti-Malaria measures was shown to 900 of the pupils.
Pamphlets on this and kindred topics were also distributed and in some cases were made the basis
of Hygiene lessons.
Each month a free film show is given by the Publicity Office in Manamah and Muharraq schools.
The programmes consist of War and Publicity Films. They arc always received with tremendous