Page 240 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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interest was taken in the election that almost every voter in Hedd did his part and the two
candidates who obtained the greatest number of votes were elected to represent the people. The
Government then nominated two Government candidates. It was said, by some of the unsuccessful
candidates, after the elections, that the members who got in had deceived their supporters by making
them believe that if they dropped their voting cards into the boxes under their names they would
draw extra rations, but this was not substantiated.
The Government increased the annual subsidy to Rs .6,000 and granted Rs. io.ooo for the
initial expenses of the municipality. The imposing of municipal taxes was carried out by the combined
Hedd and Muharraq municipalities and the rates were based upon those existing in Muharraq.
During the year considerable progress was made in filling in swamps and old drains and a site
on the foreshore was reclaimed for the purpose of building on it a vegetable and meat market. A
small municipal office is to be constructed either above the Police Station, or above the dispensary
or on a site on the shore near the Boys' School.

EDUCATION.

Boys’ School.
(From the report of Mr. Ahmed Omran, Acting Director of Education).
Director of Education.—At the end of the 1363-4 term Mr. F. J. Wakelin completed his
four years’ agreement with the Government and relinquished his post as Director of Education on
transfer to Cairo. Mr. Wakelin was an official of the British Council and was lent by the Council for
service, with the Government of Bahrain, the Council paying half his salary. During his time in
•Bahrain Mr. Wakelin made a valuable contribution towards the improvement and development of
education. Though owing to war conditions he was faced with many difficulties yet he succeeded by
persistent hard work and enthusiasm in raising the standard in the boys’ schools and in making many
useful improvements.
Mr. Wakelin was succeeded by Mr. K. M. Willey who had been working for the British Council
in Cyprus and before then in Egypt. Shortly after taking over his health broke down and after a
spell in hospital he went to Egypt and thence to the United Kingdom, on sick leave.
The schools were opened in October without a Director of Education. Soon after the term
started Mr. R. M. Highwood from the British Council headquarters in Cairo, paid a visit to Bahrain
and with his help and experience arrangements were made to ensure the smooth running of the schools.
Mr. Highwood wrote a useful and comprehensive report on education in Bahrain. At this time it was
understood that the British Council would shortly send a substitute for Mr. Willey to Bahrain. Mr.
Ahmed Omran was appointed Acting Director of Education. Mr. Omran was educated in the
Muharraq school, he then spent 2 years at the American University of Beyrout followed by one
year at the American University at Teheran. He was a teacher in the Government Schools, Head
Clerk of the Electric Department and was later made Secretary to the Muharraq Municipal Council.
The present arrangement is only satisfactory as a temporary expedient. Education is one of
the most important branches of the Government's public services and very large sums of money
are being spent upon it every year. It is essential that there should be a full-time Director of Educa­
tion, without this there can be no gradual and planned expansion or continuity of policy.
Staff.—The Egyptian teachers who were seconded for service in Bahrain by their Government
did very useful work during the year, although two of them were compelled to return to Egypt owing
to ill health. Being more highly qualified and experienced than the local teachers they have been
able to instruct the Bahrain masters in new and improved methods of teaching and they have done
this willingly. The Arab teachers benefited from their presence and conditions between the Egyptians
and the other teachers were harmonious. Out of this group of teachers three have shown particular
ability. The Egyptians were seconded for two years and many of them will probably not wish to
return after the end of the school term in June 1946. Living conditions and social life in Manamah
and Muharraq are very different from conditions in Egypt and as no accommodation was available
jt was not possible for the Egyptians to bring their wives and families to Bahrain.