European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday May 31,1991the stars and stripes Page 3kuwait school vows to pick up pieces by Luke Britt a. A Middle East Burea Kuwait a the iraqi army tried to destroy the new English school of Kuwait a but parents and  it will open Thi fall a a even if they have to repair every window and replace every Book themselves. Faculty and parents associated with the 20-year-old private school have waited in vain for the government of Kuwait to fulfil the promises it made after the War to rebuild the country s schools. Tired of waiting the school s staff and supporters recently began Clearing rubble from the school and working on a plan to hold classes despite a Lack of Money and supplies. A your children have already lost one year of school. If we wait for the govern a ment to act they May lose another a said Chan Rajab assistant director of the school in Kuwait City. The iraqi army tried to conduct school during its occupation of Kuwait but few kuwaiti children attended. The soldiers then ransacked every school in the tiny emirate according to Abdul Al gun Nim the former kuwaiti minister of education. Al gun aim was replaced by Sulaman Al Bader when the kuwaiti government was reorganized in april. Al Bader organized an education commission that spent a month in saudi Arabia devising a plan to rebuild some of the country a schools in time for the fall term. The commission completed its plan last Wek but has declined to discuss  in Early april Al gun aim said Kuwait a 700 schools suffered about $1 billion in damage. But he promised that Many schools would open on schedule in september. Books and other Basic supplies would be ordered and workers would be hired to clean each school he said. As of May nothing had come of those promises the teachers at the new English school said. A Quot a we have been Given no mon6y nor have we Beeri told when we can expect supplies from the government a Rajab said. A we cannot wait any  the new English school offers kindergarten through 12th Grade and prepares students for University study outside Kuwait Rajab said. A ministry of education spokesman said the school was consid cred one of the country a Best before the occupation. The iraqis however went to x great lengths to obliterate it. Almost All the schools books were burned blackboards were pulled off the Walls and windows were shattered. Iraqi soldiers wrecked the computer department by shooting or burning some com. Peters and throwing others from the roof. Rajab said that More than 200 musical instruments were crushed under the heels of soldiers boots. A fall that remained when the iraqis left a a a to a a a sets Luko butt a faculty member of the new English school in Kuwait City cleans a science Laboratory that was ransacked by iraqi soldiers. Were the Walls a Rajab said. A the Only reason the building was left standing was so they could use it for  Rajab believes the iraqis fury stemmed from the schools noticeable Western influences the school has Many British and american teachers and All its books and records Are in English. More Otto the Spring of 1900, he said. A but when Quot they graduate next year a Safar said Quot they will have no records to show to the universities they want to attend. Our students attend some of the Best universities in the world a and those schools require Complete transcripts he said. F All that remained when the iraqis left were the Walls. The Only reason the building was left standing was so they could use it for shelter a Jehan Rajab assistant director a of the school in Kuwait City. Than $2 million in books computers and musical instruments were destroyed she said. The real damage however was to school records. Unlike other schools where soldiers dumped records on the floor or Tore them to pieces the new English schools records were piled outside and burned. A we do not have one legible student record left a said Mohammed Safar the schools assistant director for senior affairs. A this is a tragedy for our graduating  about 200 students would have graduated this month if the iraqi invasion had not forced them out of the school Safar said. But because the schools curriculum is standardized these students Wilu be Able to pick up this fall where they left a a a a. T a ,. A a a a a. A a. To rebuild the academic histories Safar said the school is having students bring in old tests report cards and graded assignments. Graduating students without records will receive a written evaluation by every teacher who taught them at the facility. Against the a recommendations of education ministry officials the new English school began registering students for the coming year soon after the iraqis tied the City Rajab said ministry officials told her that not every school would get assistance in time to open in tie fall. By registering students the officials said she risked having to fund her own reconstruction. Rajab said the faculty discussed the situation and decided that the school would open a even if All we could do was  Days after the iraqis lied the City the Effort to Clear rubble at the school began with help from the few faculty members who remained in Kuwait during the occupation several parents and volunteers from the French army which was encamped near the school. Rajab said the Saddest moment of her life was seeing trucks drive away from the school loaded with destroyed computers and musical instruments. A i never thought of the school Asim portent to me a said 10-year-old l Lilal Al Sayer who has been a student at the new English school since his elementary years. A but now i am sad that All our computers and instruments Are gone flu a school Wili not be As Good As it was.�?�. Before the occupation new English had nearly 2,000 students and a 180-member staff. About 85 teachers have agreed to return Rajab said including a few britons and one american. Nearly 700 students have applied for thed9yi fall term. A we can to take too Many More students a she said. Quot we wont have enough equipment to go around As it is Quot even so the school May be Kuwait a largest when it reopens Rajah said. New English asked for financial contributions from its faculty and parents and ordered enough paper pencils and books to Supply two classes in each Grade Tor about halt a year. Rajab Hopes the government will have a plan to support the country a schools by the time the supplies run out. A to get this country on its feet we need people to come Home a Rajah said. A a they re not going to come Home if there s no place for their children to go to school i Hope the government realizes  draw Down May Hurt Leisure programs by Luke Britt Middle East Bureau Dhahran saudi Arabia a declining troop strengths Likely will Force the military to cancel its popular cruise ship and half Moon Bay Leisure programs in the persian Gulf this summer recreation officials said. . Service members currently have exclusive use of the cruise ship Cunard Princess for three Days a week. Half Moon Bay a Beach resort id faced 30 Miles South of Dhahran is reserved for  four Days a week. A a when troop strength gets realty Low we re going to have trouble filling these facilities a said Karen Williams a recreation worker in Dhahran. A they Are very expensive and will probably he the first to be affected by the troop  Willa Iris did not know How much the United states pays for the two facilities but she said the military must fully Book them. A we cannot pay for a Slot Here and a Slot there on either the cruise ship or at half Moon Bay. We Hwe to pay for the whole thing and eventually there worn be enough soldiers around to do that All the  however Williams said it was possible the government will arrange to use the facilities on a periodic basis after the summer. To help compensate for the loss of the programs military recreation officials have been bringing in bands from the United states to perform for troops still serving in the Region said Steve Doke the concert organizer. A the bands Are selected by our people in the states and come Over Here for 30 to 45-Day Tours a Doke said. A a it a becoming very popular with the  Doke said he tries to provide a variety of musical styles but noted that Only two or three bands Are in saudi Arabia at a time. A we. Can to always give people what they want exactly when they want it a he said. Recreation officials also Are working with a Volunteer group of american wives from the saudi Ara Bian Oil co. Who Are staffing a United service organizations office inf Dhahran. The Uso program offers recreational trips to nearby Bahrain where the organization has rented a sports facility. A we take 250 troops a Day three Days a week to Pur facility in Bahrain and from there they can Goon several different Tours a said the usos Kathalyn Cox. The trip to the Uso office is free. Cox said but soldiers must pay for Tours. The Uso facility has a television room a snack bar video games Tennis and racquetball courts and a room where soldiers can Telephone Home. Hie i so offers bus hours of Bahrain for $10, a trip to a bedouin Camp for $24. A Pearl diving tour for $27 and fishing Tours Tor $27. T he Tours last All Day and the. Cost covers food and drink. Alcohol consumption which is Legal in Bahrain is limited to two 12-ounce Beers per person on the Tours Cox said