“Al-Tayyebin Schools”... Memories of the Good Old Days Brush Off the Dust of Chalk

- Yousef Al-Najjar: We used to study to the sound of the ceiling fan and colored chalk dust... and the school playground was made of asphalt and sand.

- I meet some of my schoolmates from time to time, and we reminisce about our school days.

- Faisal Al-Maqseid: “How sweet those days were”... We were like one family, despite our pranks on the teachers.

- I visited Al-Jahiz Secondary School when I became an official, and recalled the beautiful memories.

- Adel Al-Rashed: The sweetest memories are from Al-Doha Secondary School, and the most beautiful days of the week were those of military service.

- We wore the military uniform once a week, like army recruits.

- Ahmed Al-Haniyan: We always played football on the school playground... That is why older generations stood out.

- We waited for the bus in the cold... to reach Al-Salmiya School.

Amidst the sound of the ceiling fan and the dust of chalk, teachers used to begin their school day in Kuwait’s schools in the past. Their facilities lacked air conditioning and did not benefit from the technologies that schools today are filled with. However, these educational institutions, which have stood tall against the passage of time since the 1960s, bear witness to a generation of good people and remain alive in the memory of that generation, preserving beautiful memories and unforgettable days and moments.

Some of the old schools, which the Ministry of Education has placed on a list for demolition and reconstruction, have been spared from the hands of modernization, while their “budget” has been closed for a long time. And if “harm can sometimes be beneficial,” then the existence of these buildings in their current state today in some residential areas—even if old—serves as a pulsating spirit for their residents, and a history carrying epochs of childhood and beautiful days that their students cannot forget.

On the tape of memories, “Al-Rai” turned the hands of time backward, visiting some schools built during the 1960s in the Jahra area. Despite their dilapidated walls, they are today historical landmarks for their students, recounting the most beautiful stories and showcasing days of childhood, youth, and adolescence. The newspaper also met with some leaders who graduated from these schools, to shed light on study memories in the “age of goodness.”

To begin, former Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Facilities Sector at the Ministry of Education, Yousef Al-Najjar, described his feelings toward his secondary school as a sense of belonging and beautiful memories, saying, “I see it every day, as it remains as it was, but its name has changed from Al-Rawda Secondary School to Abdullah Al-Jaber Secondary School.”

Al-Najjar told “Al-Rai” that he and his classmates used to study under “ceiling fans” (benaka), and with white and colored chalk. The school playground was made of “asphalt and sand,” but it had a school library, and its structure was strong.

Al-Najjar confirmed that he meets some of his schoolmates from time to time, and some he meets regularly. He added, “I visited my secondary school when I became Undersecretary for Educational Facilities. The engineering staff at the Ministry did not fall short in doing what was necessary for it.”

Regarding some school incidents etched in memory, Al-Najjar said, “I was top of my class in the intermediate stage, but I was sick that day and couldn’t solve the homework. The teacher punished me, but when he learned that I was ill, he hugged me and apologized to me with the kindest words. This paternal incident remains etched in my mind due to the kindness and humanity of that teacher.”

For his part, former Undersecretary for the Educational Activities and Development Sector at the Ministry of Education, Faisal Al-Maqseid, stated that “talking about school is talking about memories and beautiful days. Oh, how sweet those days were. We were like one family, despite our many pranks on the teachers.”

Al-Maqseid confirmed to “Al-Rai” that he studied in Al-Dasma schools, starting with Bilal Kindergarten, which still exists but is closed, then Al-Dasma Primary School, up to Al-Jahiz Secondary School, part of which is currently used by the General Secretariat of Awqaf, and the other part by the Hassan Abul Academy.

He emphasized that “the study sessions were held on benches and (invalid desks), and the school’s sandy playground was our only refuge, where we played football before the morning assembly, during breaks, and after school hours in winter.”

He said, “I visited Al-Jahiz Secondary School when I became an official in the Ministry of Education, during a meeting held with the General Secretariat of Waqf Affairs. There, I inspected the school facilities and recalled most of the beautiful memories. We shared a great sense of familiarity with both the administrative and teaching staff, despite the many pranks we played on them.”

Regarding staying in touch with school friends, he said he still meets them regularly and remains in contact with them, “as they represent the beautiful memories of days we lived in the past, which will never return.”

Professor Ahmed Al-Hunayan, a member of the Constituent Council of Abdullah Al-Salem University and a professor of Computer and Information Systems, also spoke about his memories of old schools, saying, “We used to wait for the bus in the cold, arriving well before its scheduled time, to get to Al-Salmiya Primary School, which is now known as Al-Asousi School. Those were truly sweet memories.”

Al-Hunayan told “Al-Rai” that his old school still lives on through the memories embedded in its walls, students, and teachers. “It was not just a place for studying, but a complete environment for excellence, sports, and activities. It featured a sandy football pitch, a gymnasium, and extracurricular activities such as calligraphy, drawing, music, decoration, electricity, and theatrical acting.”

He noted that “the most popular game at the school was football on the sandy pitch, which is why older generations excelled in it.” He added that “classes were held on benches, and I wonder why parents didn’t each contribute five dinars to buy an air conditioner for the classroom, given the intense heat from May to September.”

Al-Hunayan affirmed that “old schools had a ministerial character in their facilities, with high walls and large structures.” He confirmed that he remains in touch with school friends who are now doctors, pilots, and ministers.

Among the notable school experiences, Al-Hunayan said, “I never stood in the morning assembly throughout my life, as I was among the top students in reading and joined the school radio team.”

For his part, Adel Al-Rashed, former Director of Educational Affairs in the Ahmadi Education Zone, recalled some of his beautiful memories from Al-Doha Secondary School, saying, “I experienced the sweetest memories and moments there, and the school still exists today under the same name.”

Al-Rashed told “Al-Rai” that “the most beautiful day of our week was the military service day at school, where we wore military uniforms once a week, like army recruits. I also loved participating in the calligraphy activity and the mathematics club, as I had a deep passion for the subject.”

He explained that “we had only one Kuwaiti teacher at the school who taught mathematics, and we all loved him greatly.” He noted that “most teachers during that era were expatriates, who were highly competent in their respective fields.” He affirmed that “classrooms were equipped with fans, unlike today’s schools, which are covered with halls and air conditioning units. The school playground was sandy, whereas today’s school fields are all made of high-quality artificial turf.”