Page 390 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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The number of teachers and pupils in the schools at the beginning and at the end of 1360 was
as follows
Pupils. 1-1-1360 1-1-13C1
Manamah 243 310
Muharraq 140 200
Hcdd 84 91
Rafa'a 76
Teachers.
Manamah 9 13
Muharraq 8 10
Hedd
3 3
Rafa'a
3 3 I

THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.
Report by Mr. G. E. Hutchings, Principal of the School.
The re-organisation of the Government Technical School on lines suggested in the Report
of March 1940 was initiated in the early part of the year by the erection of the first section of the new
workshops. This spacious and well lighted building, strongly constructed in stone and concrete,
accommodates for the time being both the engineering and woodworking shops, leaving the original
school building free for classrooms and offices. This extension of the premises made it possible to
increase the size of the school at the beginning of the academic year 1360-61, when the present Prin­
cipal arrived to take over the establishment from the Directorate of Education.
Up to this time the Technical School had provided a two years course of simple trade training
in either woodwork or metalwork for small number of pupils, never more than 25 in all, together
with some instruction in English and drawing. There had been no standard of qualification for
admission to the school and students were admitted at irregular intervals. Some had entered the
school with little or no previous education, and most of the pupils came from poor families, attracted
partly by the payment of a small wage due to them as apprentice workers. In spite of these dis­
advantages the school had turned out a number of quite able workmen. Some of these have made
good progress in the service of the Oil Company and in the Public Works Department.

u ?r(T SCSSi0n ,hC wa8e Paid t0 *■*»«» has been"reduced from Rs. 15
prospect of training th °S h * * students entcring school have been attracted more by the
prospect of training-than by considerations of immediate remuneration.
Owing to the lack of workshop equipment it was found necessary to divide the boys equally
between the woodwork and engineering sections. This could not be justified as a general policy for
t e uture as the demand for mechanics is likely to be much greater than for woodworkers. However,
a new scheme for placing skilled woodworkers in the local markets is likely to absorb most of the youths
each divided into two classes
at present in training. The engineering and woodwork sections were______
according to standard. These work in shifts alternately in the classrooms and the workshops, The
students are thus devoting half their time to classroom instruction. This will remain the normal
procedure during the first two years of the Technical School course
.
________.It should be noted that as the
educational standard of candidates improves year by year, and boys are recruited at an earlier age
(1 ea y 15 years), the full school course will be extended from two to four years, an increasing amount