Coll 30/232 'Arab Sheikhdoms of the Persian Gulf.' [‎34r] (68/119)

political difficulty in the case of Qatar owing to the feud
between the two Rulers* If this difficulty proves
insurrnountable urgent consideration v/ill have to be given
to the needs of Qatar for education since there is already
a large influx of workers there and this will rapidly increase
over the next few years* The same v/ill take place at a
somewhat later stage in some parts of the Trucial Goast,
notably Abu Dhabi and Dubai where oil is almost certain to be
worked fairly soon. We must try to make sure that these
places go the way of Bahrain rather than the way of Kuwait*
(&) Muscat.
There is one Arab Primary School, the teachers including
Palestinian Arabs, There are other schools for some of the
Indian and Persian inhabitants who form the great majority of
the population of the town of Muscat, Higher education is
only obtainable in individual cases. The Sultan has asked
for the services of some more Palestinian Arab teachers,
particularly for Dhofar. There seems to be practically no
provision for the education of the very numerous inhabitants
of the Batinah Coast or for the large Bedouin population of
the interior. The State has no money with v/hich to provide
any large extension of education.
It is open to question whether Muscat should look for
its higher education in the direction of Karachi, Bahrain
or Aden (or possibly even Khartoum). On the whole the most
useful channel would seem to be towards Bahrain and the American
University at Beirut.
(e) General *
One of the most urgent requirements seems to be that the
younger members of ruling families throughout the Gulf should
obtain satisfactory education. At present one member of the
Bahrain ruling family is at university in America, having-
failed to obtain admittance to universities in the U.K. "The
son of the Sultan of Muscat will probably go shortly to the
American College at Damaefcus. Otherv/ise nothing in this
direction is being done. It is su gested that a serious
effort should be made to have one or more members of each
Ruling Family, including as many as possible of the Trucial
Coast Cheikhs, sent to receive a good Arabic and if possible
later English education outside the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . If the
American College at Damascus is a really satisfactory institution
for this purpose this might be best as a first stage until any
of them are proficient enough at English to go to Victoria College
at Alexandira or Cairo.
While the present demand for all kinds of labour by the Oil
Companies continues there is unlikely to be much danger of the
creation by unsuitable methods of education of a class of
unemployed effendis such as has poisoned the political and
educational atmosphere in Egypt and Iraq. But this is a danger
which must always be borne very clearly in mind. It is most
likely to arise in Kuwait. A progressive increase in
opportunities for technical education in the Oil Companies
will do something to minimise the danger.
/ 2^ Action