MINISTER AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES

The following is a translation of the sparoh delivered by H E. Snad Zazlool P18hs, Minister of Elacation, at the General A gombly op Sanday last :

As an Egyptian I natarally should like instruction is all the s.boole to be given brovgb the motion of the language of our 300ntry. What one wishes, however, cadNOG alwayı be arcomp'ished. There are difficolties hat make the idea impracticable at present It is trae we should endeavour to overcom, and remove these diffionltion, but they must,

evertheleg, be taken into account in any vractical consideration of the question. The Government did not make a European lao guage the lingaistio basis of instroo ion on its own initiative or in parsoance of its own tesires. The interests of the nation and ihu -xample set by the people themselves are the real 010-88 that prompted the Goveroment to a topt the present system of instruction. The situation of Exypt as regards its relations with other countries and the consequent intermix. tore of native and foreigo interests have rendered it desirable that a European langiage should be adopted as the midiam through which iostraction in various scienoog bnald be given. Puoils require an ade. quste knowledge of a Europy40 laogange in order that tb ay may benefit by Buropean civilization and may in their tura banefi; thóir cogn'ry. It is, mireover, to be noted that tha present age is one of practical as well as intel. leotaal activity, and aoless the na ires are 6.tel for adapting themselves to practical oxigencies, foreign competition will disable them in the affairs of 1 fs. Thy people them. se'vey felt ho need for a European education even before Government recogaised the need,

od oodsequently many parents sent their children to soob foreig'ı institutions as the schools of the Frères, tha Joroite, and the American Mission, in whiob they might obtain such an edaoation, the instruction in these schools being given through the mediñm of a European language. The Government Sthonle were co ineq nently deserted on 40000nt of the Arabio langauge being the exolasiv; basis of instrantion, whilst those foreign schools were in & ilgrishing condition owing to the large nom her of native children attending them Parents felt thut the instruction given in iha Government Suhools throagh the mediam of

be mother tongae did not meet thair regnire. 09078 When the Government began to realize the injury done to the papils throngh be continuance of the old system it wag compelled to adapt its me bodo to praction! requirements, and Boglish or French was in some morgare mode the mod am of instruction. The papils from Government Sobnols were being ousted in the strngele for 'ite not only by foreigners who flicked into the country from all direo iind to compete with 08 for the advantages off red by our conntry, but also by their com vatriots eduost. ad in the Earopean roboole. The first to make the attempt to remedy this state of things, and o 1889 to nnt it into exaction, win the lase

Ali Pasha Mbirik. thy Minister ot Elgo4tion, I whose knowledge of the various sciences, whose wide experience in edacational quections, and whosa zual and enibasiasm to safeguard the interests of his country we all recognise. Although it is a long time since the adoption of the plan by which a European language bar taken & prominent part in the edocational

yatem of the country, complaints are froquent'y addressed to the anthorities concerning the weakness of 'he pupils in foreign languages Daring the short period of my oconpation of my presint post several soch complaints biru bead brought to my notice. I was recently approached on this gohjaot by The bear if & car. taip Department, who stated ibit a short time nghe bad 24 vacancies for which a know l-dge of a Baropean language was an esential qal fization, and that as none of tbe applicante holding the Primary Certificate poerP8-81 A BI ffizient acquaintanre with English or French he had been boond to teleot foreigners for the po ts. During my interview with him he asked me to examine this matter with a view to takirg Aach moa-Dres &8 would engotoa rapply of better

quipped popils. This weak0088 has often been referred to in tbe Press, the latest occasion heing & letter poblished ly one of the news. papers on the let inst, onder the signature of "Mostafa 8 bri", ic which the writer bitter's complained of the weakne-8«f Egyptian popils. in this respeot. On the occasion of my visit to * girls' school in Fuyam, noticed ibat it

48 atter ded by only & toxll nomber of pnpi 8. Upon in quiry I was told that tbe gange of the 20all attendance was the absence of a Barnpean language from the course of instraction W eb be-schnols belonging to the M hame lan Benevolent Society, of whiob I was one of the founders, were established, we decided that there should be no Earopean languages taught io these schools, but we soon began to feel that we hat made a mistake and the teaching of the European language was subasquently ipt-oduced into the carrioolom of these schoo's. All the private sobools, which are free from Government control, and even these sohools that are managed by persons who are mort fanatical about the Arabic langosgʻ, have made the European language in some measure the linguistio basis of instruction. There sobools huve vo donbt tuken such a conree broange they most cater for the requirements of the people, who feel very strongly that their ohildren are in need of an adequate koowledge of a Eoropean largasge. If the propo-ed change to Arabio 28 tbe meliom of instroction were feasible and the change were aotoally carried into practice, the harm that would resolt not only to ourselves but the nation at large woold in reality be very serious. It would by impossible for pupils edaoated under the o coposed system to obtain employment in the Custom Administration, the Post Officer, the Mixed T ibunals or in any other of the many variogg Government Offije in which & large atøff of ffisials pos-oasing an esiti iunt kaowledge ot a European language is a necessity. They could not be employed by banks or joint-stock conpupio', nor could they play their part in the organisation of such companies, which have become so pomoroas ia Our country. They woald, moreover, be debarred from becoming advocates in the Mixed Coarte, or translators, and from employment in any of the remaverative posts in which lingüistio efficiency is necessary and which hive become so varied and numerous in our country. It must be remembered, however, that e ven if such consideratione could be overlcoked, and the proposed change at 0009 a tempted, the material d ffi salties involved

04t inevitably prevent its accomplishment. There diffi :alties are connected with the reoraitment of teachers qual fied to teach the various 80'j ots in Arabic. Whether sach d fficulties have arisen through the polioy paraged by the Ministry of Elacation; a- H 8. Excellenoy Sheik Ali Youssef alleges in his proposed schemo, or from other d jøper 0908es which need not be dilated a pon on the present oocasion, the existence of those d ffi solties cannot be devied. It is obvioon, therefore, that any immediate action towards making th: Arabic language the lingnistio bilbis of instruction in the schno's is impractiouble. Il, in spite of these consideration, you 2010ept the proposal you might as well attempt to mount a high wall withont a ladder. It is for these reasons that I beg you - to exam, e the question first with a view to jidging caretily whather the prypo-al is feasible or not, leaving more sentiment and pa-sion eptir ly oitsi le of the q estiva. I ventore to remind gia that it would be useless to sabmit to the Government any demand which yia koow to be impracticabe and which Government most accordingly reject. All that you can wi-h me to do for you and all that I am able to consider with the object of bipefiting my country is to endeavoor gradially to remove these material diffi salties. I may state that I had already determined to 0:camine the matter, and the question in all its bearings is now being considered by the Ministry of Education. The Migistry is consi. diriog the best methods to secure the extension and development of ihe Training Colleges in Egypt and of the Egyptian Sibolastic Alissions to Europe. The Ministry is also endeavoaring to ameliorate ihe prospects of trachers. These three schemes are being con. sidered with the objeot of providing a sofficient supply of teachers qualified to teach in the Arabio laoguage. Tou, I hope, will ultimately Dieet yoar wisbor, whiob accord with my own. Shoald fortaoe assist me in realising the accomplishment of these three schemes, I shall bave done great service to my country. I appeal to you to help me in its realizaton. Any obstacle placed in my way by you would prevent me from fulfilling the parpose which you are striving to attain. His Excellency Sheikh Ali Yussef -tates that with the present stoff of teachers in the Primary 8 hools we can commence to adopt his scheme in 80 far as the Primary schools are concerned, Itwust be borne in mind, bowever, that if ench a course as his Ex 'e luncy wishes as to adopt i pat in force in the next sobool year the popils on leaving these schools will not be able to follow the instraction given in a European liangaage in the Secondary schools. I is im posBible at present to teach in the Secondary schools through the medium of the Arabio language, owiog to the lack of qual fied teachers. Hidacational Aystems are like building', of which no stone sbould be distarbed wi bout the state of the bail ling as a whole being carefully extmined, or otherwite the entire tailding muy collapse. Contrary to urage, I Lave ventured to disan88 tbir question in detail vrith you, in order that I might transmit to you my feelirgi and thoughts on the go bj hot, and that you might hear my explanations of the reasons which should m ko yon panre and reflect opon this serions question. I feel confident tbat if you take carefully into considera. tirn my earnest wishes in the matter, you will vi bnat doubt agree with me but the proposal Eboald for the present ba rejected.

DEPARTURES

Per S.S. Portugal sailed on Friday for Marseilles :--

Comte and Comtarde de Germing, Mr. Hermann, Mr. and Mme. Kraure, Mr. d'iggier, Mr. and Mme. Heorico, Mr. and Mme. Sipplé, Mr. and Mme. Rinie, Mr.) Battemberg, Mme. Hormiok, Mlle. Lenri, Mc. ipd Mme Oliard, Mr. Demi.gia!, Mme. Vuerion, dr. Ant Mme. Point, Mr. and Mlle. Sirsok, Mr. Toery, Moe. Daverney, Mr. and Mme. Jibbons, Mr. Kingsbory, Mr. Tilla vos, Mr. und Mme. Hague, Mr. da Santory, Mlle. Valler, Mlle. Blandinier, Mme. Coty, Mr. Klasi, Mr. and Mme. Bassou!, Mme. Calut.

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24-11-9