Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎62v] (124/176)

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Elementary Schools.
372. The number of girls in attendance in elementary schools belonging to the
Ministry or under inspection increased from 46,409 in 1920 to 50,362 in 1921. It is
evident from the steady growth in the number of pupils that the parents of the poorer
classes are becoming alive to the advantages which their daughters gain from school
life, and that the former prejudice against education is disappearing. This is
particularly noticeable in the larger towns. In Upper Egypt the prejudice still
lingers.
373. The following figures show the increase of pupils in the elementary schools
which are managed by the Ministry of Education :—
Girls’ Schools. Mixed Schools.
—
Number
Number
Number
Number
of Schools.
of Pupils.
of Schools.
of Girls.
Wakfs elementary schools—
1920..
51
7.f»90
6
214
1921 ..
51
8,378
5
204
Alexandria municipality schools—
1920 .. . ' .
9
1,729
1
43
1921 ..
9
1,792
1
67
374. Owing to financial stringency no new schools have been opened, but
whenever opportunity has occurred larger premises have been rented and the number
of classes increased. The schools are now full to overflowing and number of pupils
are refused admission every month owing to lack of space. Much has been done to
improve the equipment and staff of these schools. There are now 221 qualified women
teachers employed in them compared with 185 in 1920.
375. The provincial councils have been active in increasing the educational
facilities for girls. Five new girls' schools have been opened, making a total of
eighty-six schools, attended by 7,592 pupils in 1920. In addition, 2,451 girls attend
mixed schools compared with 2,100 in the previous year. The increase in the number
of students who have completed the course of study in the women’s elementary
training colleges has enabled the provincial councils to improve the staff of these
schools, though difficulty is still experienced in finding women teachers who are
willing to go to the smaller towns and villages.
376. there are 408 girls in attendance in schools maintained by the Ministry of
Communications, Frontier Districts Administration and other Government
Departments, as compared with 333 in 1920.
377. The number of girls in the elementary schools which receive a grant either
from the Ministry of Education or from the provincial councils increased from 26,708
in 1920 to 28,374 in 1921. Very few of these schools can be considered efficient.
Higher' Elementary Schools.
378. The number of girls in the higher elementary schools maintained by the
Ministry increased from 656 in 1920 to 682 in 1921. Additional schools of this type
are urgently needed, but the proposal to open one in Alexandria and another in Cairo
has been abandoned owing to lack of funds.
Elementary Training Colleges.
379. The successful development of the girls’ higher elementary schools, in
which a three-years’ course of study, with domestic science as one of the principal
subjects, is followed, has produced a more advanced type of recruit for the women’s
elementary training colleges. Until three years ago all candidates for these colleges
were drawn from the elementary schools, and their state of preparation for a
training course was very inadequate. Now practically all the students of the two
women’s training colleges originally belonging to the Ministry are recruited from the
higher elementary schools. The standard of education and of technical training is
naturally being considerably raised, and it will soon become possible to abolish the old
three-vears’ course and substitute for it a two-years’ technical training course open
to candidates who have completed courses of four years in the elementary schools and
w
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