Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎64r] (127/176)

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395. Mr. J. W. Simpson, late president of the Royal Institute of British
Architects, came to Egypt in December to act as assessor in the first stage of the
architectural competition for the preparation of plans and designs for the proposed
new hospital and medical school. Over sixty plans were submitted by competitors
from most of the civilised countries of the world.
396. The completion of the laboratory for experimental physiology has enabled
a complete course to be carried out for the first time in this subject, and a considerable
amount of research work was carried on by the school staff during the year.
65. Higher Training Colleges.
397. In view of the recent decline in the number of students of the Sultania
Training College, and of the growing demand for teachers, it was decided in 1921
to abolish fees in the hope of attracting larger numbers of students. The immediate
result was that the number of students admitted in October 1921 was 59, as com
pared with 28 in 1920 and 18 in 1919. The first set of students to complete the new
four years' course established in 1918 will pass out of the college in May 1922, and
should in many ways be much better equipped technically than their predecessors.
More attention is now being given to physical training and most students are quali
fied to teach Swedish drill and games. Scoutmasters’ classes have also been started
in the college; these are voluntary, but a large number of students have taken advan
tage of them.
398. As explained in the report for 1920, the Nasria Training College (for
sheikhs who teach the Arabic language and cognate subjects) was reorganised in the
autumn of that year and its former name, Dar-el-Uloum, was restored to it. The
new conditions comprised (1) the creation of a preparatory school, in which foreign
languages are replaced by an extended course in Arabic and other subjects; (2) a
higher college course of four years corresponding in level of attainment to that of
the other higher colleges. As a result of the new system, pupils of the preparatory
school will in 1922 for the first time sit for the Secondary Education Certificate
Examination (Part I); they will undergo the same examination as the secondary
school candidates, with the exception that English and translation will be replaced
by Mahommedan religion and jurisprudence. The number of classes in the college
has increased during the past year from twelve to fourteen, whilst the total number
of students shows a slight decrease, having fallen from 357 to 350. The comparison
of the two types of students stands as follows :—
Category.
Preparatory school .
Higher college
Total
399. The Sania Training College
heading “ Female Education.’'
for women
1921. 1920.
101 60
249 297
350 357
teachers is referred to under the
66. State University.
400. The University Commission completed its work and prepared its final
report in June 1921. A summary of the main proposals of the commission for the
establishment of a State University appeared in my report for the year 1920. The
commission contemplated the starting of the intermediate courses in October 1921,
and submitted a scheme with this object to the Minister of Education in March 1921
for consideration by the Superior Council of Education. Owing to the political
situation, however, the Government found it impossible to devote the time necessary
for the consideration of the scheme, and the inauguration of the courses had to be
abandoned. The publication of the completed report of the commission has also
been postponed.
67. Egyptian Students in Europe.
401. During 1921 the number of Egyptian students in Europe showed a slight
increase on the numbers for 1920, and was fully up to the average of the years
preceding the war. In addition to the fifty-seven Government students (fifty-six in
England and one in Germany) maintained by the Ministry of Education, the
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