EDUCATION
127
grammar schools, they prepare their pupils for the English school certificate examination and successful candidates usually continue their studies at the Technical College. There are six government and four subsidized secondary technical schools with an enrolment of 3,507 and 17 private technical schools with an enrolment of 2,597 which mainly give trade training.
Secondary Modern Schools. As part of the re-organization of primary and secondary education, the first stage of the conversion of all government secondary modern schools to secondary technical schools began in September. The conversion involves a change in the character of these schools from bi-sessional schools providing a three-year course to full-day schools providing a five-year course. This change is planned to take place gradually over the next three years. In September approximately a quarter of the pupils about to leave the government secondary modern schools were given the opportunity of two further years of secondary technical education, whilst all new pupils entered upon a five-year course. The number of pupils remaining in government secondary modern classes is 2,977. There are also 702 pupils in a subsidized secondary modern school.
Special Classes Centre. This provides a one-year intensive English course for selected Chinese middle school students who have passed the Hong Kong Chinese school certificate and wish to go on to further study in universities and other post-secondary institutions. Twenty-eight students are enrolled.
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
The Technical College opened the 1963-4 session in September with a total enrolment of 9,514 students, comprising 827 full-time, 277 part-time and 8,410 evening students. The college comprises departments of building, commerce, electrical and telecommunica- tions engineering, mechanical and production engineering, textiles, navigation and mathematics and science. The college provides full- time courses leading to its own higher and ordinary diplomas and to the associate membership examinations of many British profes- sional institutions such as the Institutions of Mechanical, Electrical, Production and Structural Engineers, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Institute of Builders and the Textile Institute. Students are also prepared for the examinations of the
Page 165Page 166