Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎63r] (125/176)

three years in the higher elementary schools. The change, however, can immediately
affect only the two women's training colleges in Cairo and Alexandria; the training
colleges in the provinces must continue on a lower scale of attainment until the
provincial councils are able to take up the question of girls’ higher elementary
schools.
380. There are 547 students in the six elementary training colleges belonging to
the Ministry compared with 587 in 1920. The number of students taking a two-years'
supplementary course at Bulak Training College after passing the elementary
teachers' certificate examination has increased from fifty-eight in 1920 to eighty-nine
in 1921. The number of students in the five elementary training colleges belonging
to the provincial councils shows a slight increase, 250 girls being in attendance in
1921 compared with 235 in 1920.
Primary Schools.
381. It was found impossible to carry out the plan for the establishment of two
new schools in 1921, but a certain amount of extra accommodation was obtained, and
the attendance increased from 842 in 1920 to 901 in 1921.
382. There are twelve girls’ primary schools managed by the provincial councils,
of which the total attendance increased from 1,347 in 1920 to 1,479 in 1921.
383. There has also been a marked increase in the provision of facilities for
girls’ primary education by private initiative, chiefly due to the establishment by the
Ministry of a system of grants-in-aid for the encouragement and assistance of these
schools, which have increased from twenty-five in 1920 with 2,863 pupils to
thirty-two in 1921 with 3,913 pupils. Many of these schools are markedly inefficient.
As regards equipment and, to some extent, buildings, it is hoped that the grants-
in-aid given by the Ministry to approved schools wdll effect considerable improvement,
but a greater difficulty will be to find a sufficient supply of well-qualified women
teachers.
384. The number of trained teachers provided by the Sania Training College is
hardlv sufficient to staff the Government schools. The attendance is at present 107,
and the classes are being doubled, while efforts are being made to increase the number
of applicants for admission by the establishment of a certain number of free places
in the Government girls’ primary schools. But it will be necessary to extend
considerably the facilities for training women teachers before anything like a
sufficient supply for the needs of the whole country is forthcoming.
Secondary Schools.
385. The secondary school for girls, opened in October 1920, is developing, and
now comprises two years of secondary study attended by forty-three pupils as against
twentv-eight during the previous year. The supply of pupils is necessarily rather
limited, and the progress of the school is seriously hindered by the lack of boarding
accommodation, wffiich would greatly extend the influence of the school and at the
same time provide a much needed addition to the school buildings. W ith a view' to
providing Egyptian women teachers for specialised work in the secondary school and
in training colleges, eight girl students are now undergoing further courses of study
in England. Of these, three are preparing for the qualification of the National
Froebel Union, three for a teaching diploma in general subjects, one for a domestic
science qualification, and one is following a special course'in physical training.
386. The medical inspection of girls’ schools has been very much extended
during the year and nearly 20,000 girls in the various categories of schools have now
been brought under the regular supervision of the medical inspectorate of the
Ministrv. ^This denotes a great advance in a most important department of female
education. At the same time a complete individual physical record has been estab
lished for the pupils of all classes of schools except higher elementary schools and
elementary schools, and this record is kept up to date throughout the pupil’s school
career.
63. Technical, Industrial and Commercial Education.
387 The development of the School of Engineering which took place in 1920 in
order to meet the anticipated demands of other departments for engineers of all types
has inevitably resulted in the overcrowding of the existing premises, and extended
laboratorv and workshop accommodation is urgently required, though an increase in
the staff has made it possible to deal with the situation more or less satisfactorily
while the additional students are still in the preliminary stage of their training.