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The resumption of other activities is entirely dependent on the somewhat uncertain arrival of equipment from the United Kingdom.
The Evening Institute reopened during the year, and has an enrolment of six hundred. Courses at present on the syllabus include bookkeeping, shorthand, English, physical training, pharmacy and the training of teachers. In all there are eleven courses which meet two or three times a week for periods of two hours at a time after business hours.
The Northcote Training College for Teachers was re- opened in March, 1945, when many former students resumed their interrupted studies. Owing to the lack of training dur- ing the war years it has been found necessary to introduce evening classes for the training of older teachers and to provide an intensive summer course for those who have several years' experience. A further step in the training of teachers was taken when a Rural Training College was opened in September, 1946, at Fanling in the New Territories. This is a residential training centre for those who intend to take up teaching in the rural schools. The students are instructed in rural occupations in addition to educational subjects, and spend much of their time in practical agriculture.
Both men and women are included among the students, who number about 25.
Government expenditure on education during the year under review amounted to over HK$6,000,000, of which over HK$2,000,000 were allotted in grants and subsidies. In spite of this heavy expenditure it was estimated at the end of the year that there were still some 60,000 children of school age who were receiving no education at all. Many of these are temporary residents for whom it would be difficult to make provision.
Education in Hong Kong is not free although 10 per cent. of the pupils in Government schools are awarded free places, these children being mainly from poor families. In addition scholarships are awarded to the top pupil in each class. The fees in Government schools are $5 per month for primary and $10 per month for secondary classes. This is approximately on the same level as the charge for instruction in the grant- aided schools where fees are generally on the scale of $6 to $12 per month. The subsidized schools charge $8 per month and the rural schools are less expensive, fees ranging from $1 to $5 per month. The highest fees in the Colony are charged in the private schools where the average is $15 per month but this does not in all cases necessarily represent the total cost of education as additional charges are also often made for "extras". One unhappy result of the great demand for education which is evident among all classes of the population is that it has opened a way for the charging of exorbitant school fees because the number of applicants exceeds the school accommodation available, This has to some extent
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been counteracted by the opening of free evening classes and by keeping the fees of Government, grant-aided and subsi- dized schools as near to their pre-war level as is economically possible. Assistance to pupils to continue their education after leaving school is given by Government in the form of fourteen scholarships to Hong Kong University. Many of those who are awarded these scholarships later take up teaching as a career. The University.
The University of Hong Kong was incorporated in 1911 and formally opened in 1912. It had therefore reached the thirtieth year of its existence when the Japanese war broke out towards the end of 1941. That year had been a year of expansion. Not only was a new science building opened only a few weeks before the outbreak of war but plans had also been approved for a temporary annexe to house a large number of new students many of whom had flocked to Hong Kong from Malaya. There were in existence in addition to classroom accommodation for about 500 students, six hostels, laboratories, staff residences, a Students' Union, a gymnasium, workshops and playing fields.
The
The supreme governing body of the University was the Court, which comprised life members, ex officio members and nominated members, with the Governor as chairman. Council, which was the executive body was composed of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the Treasurer, certain Gov- ernment officials, Chinese members of the Legislative Council, the Deans of the Faculties, two representatives of the commer- cial community, and two additional members appointed by the Governor. The Senate was composed of the Vice-Chancellor, the Director of Education, and the Professors and Readers. There were in existence four faculties, medical, engineering, arts and science. Unfortunately, the destruction of records precludes an accurate statement of the number of students attending the University in 1941 but certainly they were con- siderably more numerous than in 1939-1940, when a total of 516 in the four faculties was recorded. In addition the hospitality of the University was extended to some 500 students of Lingnan University driven from Canton by the incursion of the Japanese, while the Chinese Maritime Cus- toms School also held classes within the University.
The prospects of a very successful session were abruptly dispelled by the invasion of Hong Kong in December, 1941. An immediate effect of the fall of the Colony was the grievous material damage wrought on the University buildings by wholesale looting. Every vestige not only of scientific equip- ment but also of fittings and woodwork was removed from the newly opened Northcote Science Building and from the medical schools. The only buildings which escaped serious damage were the main floor of the University in which is