EDUCATION
73
Teachers and Teacher Education
In March, 1979, 39,321 teachers were employed in government and registered day schools. They included 10,361 university graduates and 28,960 non-graduates qualified for teaching. In addition, there were 3,541 teachers employed by subsidised night schools, private tutorial and evening classes. A further 4,085 teachers were engaged by the Evening Institute, the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies, the Technical Institute Evening Department, in-service courses of training at the colleges of education and the Technical Teachers' College, private evening colleges and adult classes. Most of these teachers also taught in day schools. In addition, 423 teachers were in special schools.
Except for technical teacher training, teacher education is provided at the Education Department's three colleges of education - Grantham, Northcote and Sir Robert Black. All three colleges offer two-year full-time courses designed to train their students to become non-graduate teachers qualified to teach in primary schools and the junior forms of secondary schools. The colleges also offer third-year courses aimed at providing more advanced training for both trained serving teachers and students entering directly after completion of the two-year course. In addition to the specialist subjects of art and design, physical education, music and home economics, the third-year courses cover a wide range of academic subjects. Part-time courses are also provided to train practising teachers. In September, 1979, there were 867 students in the two-year courses, 110 in the third-year courses and 775 in the in-service training courses.
Financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans and maintenance grants is provided by the government for students enrolled on the full-time courses. In September, 1979, the maximum maintenance grants and interest-free loans to college students increased from $1,600 and $1,200 per annum to $2,000 and $2,400 per annum, respectively.
Technical teacher education and training are provided at the Hong Kong Technical Teachers' College, which is administered by the Education Department. The college trains technical teachers for secondary schools, prevocational schools and technical institutes. A variety of regular courses are offered. The one-year full-time course is intended for mature students, who are well qualified and experienced in a technical field, who have decided to take up technical teaching as a career. Generous grants are offered to attract suitable recruits from commerce and industry. The two-year full-time course accepts secondary technical school-leavers. The college also provides a variety of in-service courses for teacher training and courses for supervisors and instructors employed by industry.
Adult Education
Through the Evening Institute, the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies and 16 adult education and recreation centres, the Adult Education Section of the Education Depart- ment provides a wide range of classes for adults and young people who have left school.
The Evening Institute offers formal courses ranging from literacy to secondary and post- secondary studies. General background adult education courses provide fundamental and elementary education at primary level, with special reference to adult needs and interests. Parallel to these are practical background courses to give adults certain skills for domestic purposes. There are also three courses at secondary school level the young people's course; and the secondary school and middle school courses for adults which lead to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examination.
At post-secondary level, teachers' courses provide additional in-service professional training in the teaching of English in primary schools and junior secondary forms; mathe-