Page 172 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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Local teachers arc now receiving regular instruction in teaching methods and arc showing a
steady improvement. Two of the reasons why the Egyptian teachers have been so well received by
the Bahrain staff is that the gap between them is far less than that it would have been a few years ago
and also that the new comers arc so ready to assist their colleagues.

In the fust B.B.C. Poetry Competition Sayyid Redhi, a Bahrain teacher at the New Primary
School, Manama, was awarded third prize.

3. The Secondary School.
Entries to the Secondary School at the beginning of the new term were rather less than in former
years. This was due to the fact that a boy who has completed his primary education speaks and
writes English well and can find work at a salary of about Rs. 50 per mensem. Thus 10 boys who would
in more normal times have gone on to the Secondary School obtained well paid jobs with the Oil
Company and other firms.
Our schools arc beginning to attract pupils from areas outside Bahrain. Three boys from
Hassa joined the Secondary School in October where they had completed their primary education.
The Secondary School suffered more than any other from lack of staff during the year. In
January 1944, (Dil Hajj 1362) both the Head Master and the Mathematics Master resigned without
notice owing to family reasons. Few local men have sufficient qualifications for such work and in
any case they arc already working elsewhere. For a time we were fortunate in having the services of
a senior clerk on loan from the Public Relations Office but this was only a temporary measure. For the
rest of the year we were forced to carry on with the two remaining masters who were teaching every
period of the day and the Director who taught Mathematics and Science. By combining two classes
in one whenever possible we were able to keep the school open until the end of the year.

A further setback was the delayed arrival of the Egyptians. At the opening of term the
only Master left was the English teacher. A special course was arranged for the First Form only
consisting of English and Mathematics only. As soon as the Egyptians arrived three of them were
posted to the school and the normal programme began.
The standard of Forms II and III is still low, particularly in Mathematics and Science. This
is because of their lack of good primary schooling. The First Form, most of the boys of which have
been through the reorganised schools in the past four years, is on a level with that of most good Arab
Secondary Schools. The average age in this form is 13 years.
At the beginning of the school year in October 1944, (Shawwal 1363) the three best boys from
Form III were sent to Egypt by the Government to join the Saidich Secondary School in Cairo,
where they are receiving their education at the expense of the Egyptian Ministry of Education.
One of them is being supported by the Bahrain Government and the other two by their parents.
All three were placed in the First Form as they have not studied French or Science and arc weak
in Mathematics. A fourth boy has gone to the American Secondary School in Baghdad.
The British Council has renewed Yusif Shirawi’s scholarship at Beirut University for another
year, He is now in the 4th year Preparatory Class and is expected to join the Freshman's course
this year.

4. The Hostel.
Throughout the year the Hostel has been filled to capacity. 10 places are now reserved for
boys from the Technical School and 4 for villagers. In addition to Bahrainis we have had a young
Sheikh from the Trucial Coast and two boys from Qatar.
The Hostel is becoming the hub of Bahrain educational life. It is used for meetings, lectures,
cinema shows and parties. It has been a major factor in bringing about that sense of unity which
has developed both among the boys and masters of the different schools.

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