Al Eslah School: Class of 1925

Long before the UAE had a national flag, school teachers cooked lunch (usually rice and fish) for students before taking an afternoon nap on the roof of the classroom.

Students, meanwhile, got down to making bookstands from sticks, or cleaning their tiny blackboards in time for the next lesson.

Those were the first days of formal education in the UAE.

And the place was the Al Eslah School (then known as Al Eslah Al Mohammadiya School), which was established in Sharjah in 1925.

Also known as Al Qassemia, it became the first school in the UAE to run a full academic year (1953-1954), complete with exams and certificates.

Today, the school has been converted into a museum in Sharjah’s heritage area.

The headmaster’s room has a desk covered with old ink pens and pots, stamp machines and a leather briefcase. A brown Arab robe with gold embroidery (apparently left there by the headmaster) still rests on the wooden chair.

The mud walls are covered with black and white photos of the school founder, Mohammad Bin Ali Al Mahmoud, as well as a picture of its most famous student, His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Only rich parents could afford to send their children to Al Eslah.

In 1935, the school charged two Indian rupees – around 20 fils today – as fees per month, according to Fouad Al Qah’tani, the Manager of the museum.

"Here is the place for stored water," said Al Qah’tani, pointing to a stack of rusty cans. According to him, teachers used to draw water for washing clothes and dishes from a well (which is still not dry) next to the cans.

The classrooms had wooden desks and benches, arranged in neat rows. Each desk had space for two or three students.