104th ’versary of Al-Mubarakiya School celebrated
School continued to be landmark of modern education
Students of one of the classes of Al-Mubarakiya School.
KUWAIT CITY, Dec 21, (KUNA): Over the last 104 years Al-Mubarakiya School continued to be a landmark of modern education and enlightenment for all sons of Kuwait away from any form of discrimination.
Founded on Dec 22, 1911, as the first modern education facility training students on arithmetic and commercial skills, the school was named after Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah. It was followed by Al-Ahmadiya School - the first English school in Kuwait, established in 1921.
Sheikh Yousof Bin Isa Al-Qena’e, the first principal of Al-Mubarakiya School, was one of the icons of the intellectual enlightenment who advocated compulsory education. He was succeeded by Youssof bin Humoud, Omar Asem Al-Azmeiry, Abdulaziz Al-Rashid and Mohammad Kharashi Al-Manfalouty.
The school’s finances used to depend on public donations and tuition fees before its annexation in 1936 to the then ‘Majlis Al-Maaref’ (the council of knowledge) which was later renamed as the ministry of education.
The school continued to provide teaching until 1985 when its building was chosen as venue of the Central Library.
Three intellectuals spearheaded lobbying for the launching of the school; these are Sheikh Yousof Bin Isa AlQena’e, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Yassin Al-Tabtaba’ei.
Speaking to KUNA on the occasion of the school’s anniversary, Suleiman Boland, director of the antiquities and museums dept. of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), said the school used to be a beacon of knowledge that turned to be a platform for Kuwaiti intellectuals.
“The school played a great role in the cultural and scientific advancement enjoyed by Kuwait at present.
“It depended on personal donations and with Al-Qena’e donating 50 rupees and then generous contributions by philanthropic Kuwaitis followed,” Boland said.
On Dec 22, 1911, the opening day of the school, a total of 254 pupils were enrolled and the enrolment grew to 341 five years later, he noted.
Teaching at the school used to focus on Arabic reading and writing, arithmetic, commerce, and the Holy Quran sciences, until the 1936-1937 semester when a more modern curriculum was introduced and foreign teachers were employed, he went on.
“The alumni of the school played a great role in the progress of Kuwait in all fields, Boland said, noting that the school was annexed in 1979 to NCCAL which turned it into the Central Library.
“On January 23, 2012, the site was turned into a museum for the history of education in Kuwait,” he added.
In similar statements to KUNA, Dr Saleh Al-Ajeiry, an alumnus of the school, recalled his memories in the school and its wonderful architecture.
He said Ibn Ibrahim, a Kuwaiti merchant who lived in India, contributed 15,000 rupees, the biggest donation, to the launching of the school.
“Despite the generous donations of the Kuwaiti people, the school faced financial difficulties in the early years before the discovery of oil.
“Nevertheless, it was able to overcome these difficulties and continued to offer proper teaching until 1936 when teachers and books were brought from Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Bahrain and Lebanon,” Dr Al-Ajeiry added.