Page 177 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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certain of the public services will still require considerable numbers of permanent skilled workers
after the initial construction work is finished and most of the coolie labour dispersed. When this is
realised by the public technical training is likely to recover favour.
It should be remembered, however, that the prospect of secure employment with good wages
is an inducement which appeals much more to Europeans than to the peoples in the east unaccustomed
to an industrial economy. The latter preserve a more independent outlook and an indifference to
the risk of poverty which the European finds it hard to understand. A fair proportion of the Technical
School pupils value their training as a possible means of establishment in independent business rather
than a qualification for wage earning, an idea which deserves every encouragement. It is unfortunate
that boys who have left the school during the past few years have been unable to procure for them­
selves even the most necessary tools for the exercise of their crafts. This factor has favoured
employment in places where the equipment is all provided, or more often, the adoption of occupations
not connected at all with the boys’ handicraft training.
Two of the Scholarships given by the Bahrain Petroleum Company for education in Bahrain
were allocated to the Technical School. They were awarded on the basis of selection by interview
to two promising boys already attending the school. The value of the scholarships is Rs. 1,000 per
annum each, to be expended as necessary on tuition, residence, clothing and pocket-money, with
provision for a savings account to be applied to the establishment of the holders in appropriate careers.
The award of the scholarships is not conditional in any way on the holders joining the service of the
Company.
The Government has undertaken the cost of training three ex-Technical School students in
the Egyptian Technical Secondary School, Cairo, with a view to their qualifying as technical teachers.
For this course three students were selected who had completed three years’ work in the Bahrain
Technical School including a period of special tuition during 1362-63. Their work in Cairo began in
October 1944 under the joint direction of the Egyptian Ministry of Education and the British Council.
The three students have elected to qualify in Mechanical, Electrical and Automobile Engineering
respectively, their courses covering practical work as well as theoretical studies. Satisfactory reports
on their initial progress have been received.
Staff.
At midsummer the Principal of the School took over for a time the duties of the State Engineer
and has since remained in charge of Government petroleum inspection. In order to provide for these
additional services a great part of the internal work of the Technical School was turned over to one
of the Syrian staff, Said Tabarra, in the new capacity of Head Teacher. This arrangement has so
far proved very satisfactory.
The mechanical workshop instructor retired at the end of his contract at the end of the school
year 1362-63 and has been replaced by another Syrian teacher. Also the wood-work instructor
Hassan 'Assaf, retired after 8 years’ service in Bahrain and his former colleague returned on a short
contract in his place.
The local teacher of English has been replaced by one of the recently appointed Egyptian
teachers who devotes about two-thirds of his full-time service to the Technical School. In addition
to the four foreign teachers in the school three workmen-instructors are employed in the shops, mainly
on productive work but assisting occasionally in the teaching.
Finance. I
Considered solely in relation to immediate results expenditure on the Technical School would
appear extravagant. Working expenses for the year 1363 («.«., the balance of non-capital expenditure
over revenue) amounted to some Rs. 33,000 in return for the training of only 44 pupils. It should be
noted, however, that the cost of the school during the past three years has been applied in effect to
preparation for a much larger establishment than present restrictions would allow. In the matter
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of accommodation, staff, and to a certain extent equipment, the school is now ready to receive about
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