1
SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG GOVT GAZETTE OF 23RD MAY, 1885. 475
It was
at once, that the Managers, who previously acknowledged the need of a change in the direction above mentioned, but were afraid that the changes might result in such a serious diminution of the grants that they would be unable to continue their Schools, are all willing to continue working their Schools under revised Scheme. I may also add that in most of the Schools and especially in the Boys-schools, ected by these changes, the percentage of passes obtained in 1884, as compared with the percentage tained in 1883, has been considerably reduced, the diminution ranging from 2 to 37 per cent. wing to this diminution in the earning power of the purely Chinese Schools that the sum voted for Grants-in-Aid ($17,000) has not only proved amply sufficient but left an unexpended balance of over $2,000 in hand. The following details may also be given as illustrative of the effects which the above mentioned changes in the Grant-in-Aid Scheme have so far brought to the surface. The number children brought under examination in the years 1883 and 1884 respectively under each separate Standard of Schools in Class I. (giving a purely Chinese education), and the sums earned by them apart from Capitation Grant and Needlework) under each Standard, are exhibited by the subjoined
Table.
SCHOOLS IN CLASS I.
Standards.
Number of Scholars examined, in 1883.
Amount earned by passes in 1883.
Number of Scholars examined, in 1884.
Amount earned by passes in 1884.
I.
428
1,585
76
146
II.
607
3,504
557
3,124
III.
305
2,065
470
2,208
IV.
76
520
120
840
V.
17
126
26
230
VI.
50
24
Total,
1,438
$7,850
1,251
$6,572
14. It will be seen from the above figures that the number of children brought under ex- amination in Schools of Class I. was in 1884 smaller by 187 than in 1883. This reduction in the number of children was caused by accidental circumstances unconnected with the changes made in the Scheme. It will further be seen that, whilst in 1883 out of 1,438 children as many as 23 were examined in Standard I., only 76 were examined in that same Standard, whith in- cates, what I otherwise observed as a fact, that the teachers, considering the value of Standard too low, put into Standard II., the higher one, children who would otherwise have been placed the lower Standard. This is a result of the above changes, by no means to be deplored, it is one which rather tends to raise the general standard of education. It will further be seen the above figures that the teachers crowded as many children as they could into Standards . and IV., so that, whilst in 1883 only 381 children were examined in these two Standards, many as 590 were examined in the same Standards in 1884. This appears to be likewise a favourable result of the revision of the Scheme. It will finally be seen from the above Table there was an increase in the number of children examined in Standard V. in 1884, as compared the previous year, but a decrease in Standard VI. The amount of money earned in 1884 1888 by these Schools is, of course, in proportion to the number of children who were ex- 1. passed and failed, but it is obvious that the number of failures was greater in 1884 in any previous year, which was exactly what was intended, and hence a decrease of $1,278 The total amount of grants earned by this Class of Schools as compared with the amount earned 1. I need hardly add that the teachers, in crowding children into certain Standards, were allowed to deviate from the strict rule of the Scheme that no scholar can be examined in a lower jhard than that under which he has been previously presented, nor in the same Standard unless failed to pass in two or more subjects. Although these details seem to indicate that the changes in the Scheme have, as far as the year 1884 is concerned, on the whole worked beneficially, it will visable to watch the results of these changes for one or two years longer before making a decision ny further modification of the Scheme. The actual working of the Scheme depends to a great on the tactics adopted by the teachers in endeavouring to obtain as high a grant as possible, and ties are adopted by them without regard to the bearing such tactics may have on the general sts of education in the Colony.
15. As to the remainder of the Grant-in-Aid Schools, there was a signal failure in composition in 'r classes of St. Joseph's College and, to a minor extent, also in the Berlin and Basel Mission ols. On the other hand, the lower classes of St. Joseph's College, the Diocesan School and