Ext 3323/44 'Sunni Moslem teachers for Saudi Arabia' [‎14r] (27/56)

r
Ho.84.
(L 2944/646/410)
Sir
#
FOREIGN 0 FIGE, S.w.l.
19th July, 1944*
. - i ? J r * 4 i
I havo considered the proposals contained in Mr.Jordan 1 s
despatch No* 5 of 1 5th Ma rch Jihat the British Council
^hould try to secure Suni Mohammedan teachers for schools
in Saudi Arabia and should assist in sending Saudi students
to schools and colleges outside the country.
2 0 The British Council are v/illing to do this and
to provide you v/ith such British books (in English or in
Arabic), films, sports equipment or other material of a
cultural nature as you. may find useful for distribution in
Saudi Arabia. _After consultation with the Treasury, I
have now authorised the British Council to undertake this
work. You will no doubt keep Professor Boase, the British
Council* s Representative for the Middle East, informed of
your requirements. I have not authorised the British Council
to apiDOint a representative to reside in Jedda at present, as
I doubt whether the amount of cultural work to be done in Saudi
Arabia would justify this appointment at the present stage,
should~be grateful if you would report to me from time to time on
the cultural work which is being done.
3. As regards the selection of teachers from Incia and
the ujdon for nomination to Tbn Send for emnloyment in audi
Arabian schools, I have advised the British Council that they
should send to you for submission to Ibn Baud any nominations
they are able to nuke, dubject to your views, I feel that the
candidates should be carefully chosen from among Suni Mohammedans
who are sufficiently keen about their religion to avoid reli/ione
difficulties with Ulema, and to find residence in the Holy
Land sufficient consolation for the material drawbacks they will
almost certainly suffer in Saudi Arabia; that the subjects they
are to teach should also be carefully chosen so as to avoid
religious difficulties as far as possible, languages, geography
and mathematics being safe subjects, history and science
difficult, and all religious subjects, as for instance Moslem
law, highly dangerous; that, in order to avoid discontent
among the teachers, they should be replaced fairly frequently.
4. It is not clear to me what financial arrangements
are proposed, but I do not feel that we should be justified in
asking the British Council to make more than a small financial
contribution, possible in tne rorm of the presentation of books
to the teachers and perhaps of assistance in paying for tneir
transport to Saudi Arabia,
5. In view of cert, in references made by the State
Denartmeht recently to British Council ; ctivities in Saudi
Arabia, X should be glad if you would keep your merican
colleague fully; informed on this suestlon. We do not want
Anglo-Anv rican cultural activities in Saudi Arabia to become
competitive and shou d greatly prefer Tnem to be regarded fs