.jpg?20260307')
A LIST of 3,000 books has been authorised and licensed as teaching aids in Bahrain’s private schools by the Education Ministry as details were revealed that seven new institutions look set to open educational operations in the kingdom within the next two years.
Details were announced by the ministry’s private schools licensing and follow-up directorate and director Lulwa Muhanna further added that 10 additional requests had been received to increase grade levels and age ranges at existing private schools.
Focus on reading and learning material comes amid controversy and growing anxiety over Western ‘woke’ ideology and pressure to incorporate left wing sexual identity politics into the curriculum.
“The list of approved material was issued after all books were subjected to a careful review and evaluation process by the policies and curriculum directorate,” reassured Ms Muhanna.
“The books’ assessment focused on content and suitability for the appropriate education level, while books that contradict Arab and Islamic values were ruled off.”
The move follows growing alarm raised by MPs over alleged material promoting homosexuality being taught at private schools in the kingdom.
Parliament called at the time for immediate action against places of learning where the subject has become a part of the curricula, studies, examinations or sneakily placed within other educational material.
Parliament financial and economic affairs committee chairman Mohammed Al Ahmed waived a printout of an English examination paper without clarifying what its contents contained during one protest and voiced fears that matters were ‘getting out of hand in the name of so-called acceptance and tolerance’.
The authorities appear to have acknowledged and reacted positively to public outrage and, in particular, parental concern.
“A new mechanism for accrediting the qualifications of educational and administrative staff to help choose the best by private schools has been introduced in the elapsed educational year,” said Ms Muhanna.
“All educational credentials of applicants have been checked and scrutinised by a specialised company, which resulted in 2,418 being employed after they were found compliant,” she added.
She added that the number of private school students’ participation in the activities, programmes and competitions implemented by the ministry in all fields also increased.
Private school students had excelled and achieved ‘remarkable results’ in many initiatives including the Bahrain Robot Competition and the Arab Reading Challenge, for example. Around 84,000 students were enrolled in 79 private schools during the previous academic year.
Meanwhile, 19,887 children – 16,475 in kindergartens and 3,412 in nurseries, were also enrolled in 250 independent institutions.
In comparison, a total of 147,000 students – 73,932 girls and 73,068 boys – are enrolled in 210 government schools.
&uuid=(email))