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EDUCATION
Teacher Training is mainly carried out by the Education Depart- ment of Government. There are three Training Colleges offering four different courses the Northcote Training College on Hong Kong Island and the Grantham and Sir Robert Black Training Colleges in Kowloon. The Sir Robert Black Training College was opened in September 1960, and until September 1961, was attached to Grantham Training College. It now occupies temporary premises in Lo Fu Ngam Government Primary School.
The Colleges provide full-time courses lasting one or two years for students from secondary schools. In the two year course instruction is given in English or Chinese, depending on the section selected. Successful students are qualified to teach in upper primary and lower secondary classes. The one year course uses Chinese as the medium of instruction. Successful students are qualified to teach in primary schools. Students from both these courses are awarded a certificate after two years of satisfactory teaching, in the first case a Teacher's Certificate and in the second a Primary Teacher's Certificate. The two year course is recognized by the Ministry of Education in the United Kingdom for employment under the Burnham Scale. A special one year course is also available for graduates of the Post-Secondary Colleges. Students who pass this course are qualified to teach in upper primary classes and in secondary schools, especially Chinese Middle Schools.
In addition the Colleges organize in-service training courses for unqualified teachers. These are part-time evening courses, either in Chinese or English of two years' duration. Successful students are given a certificate granting qualified teacher status either in primary or secondary schools, depending on the particular course followed.
All teacher training courses are free and in certain courses a maintenance grant may be made in case of need.
During the year there were 170 students in the two year course; 45 in the special one year course; 876 students in the one year course and 1,248 in the in-service training courses.
The Evening Institute also organized classes for 300 teachers undergoing part-time training. These teachers will eventually become qualified primary teachers.