HONGKONG.
269
No.12
87.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HEAD MASTER OF THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL FOR 1886.
Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellenc}/ the Officer Administering the Government, on the 4th February, 1887.
No. 4.
GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL,
HONGKONG, 17th January, 1887.
SIR,I have the honour to forward the Annual Report on this School for 1886.
1. The total number of boys on the Roll for the past year was 610. Every endeavour is being made to keep the school as full as possible, with a view to having a large number of fairly educated boys to transfer to the new building. With the same object special attention is devoted to the Upper and Middle Sections of the School, some 270 boys; that there may be a goodly number ready to occupy some of the 330 seats in the Upper Section of the New School,
2. To illustrate the condition of the School during the last five years the following table is annexed: -
1882,
1883,
1884,
1885,
1886,
1882,
1883,
1884,
1885,
1886,
YEAR.
Total Number of Scholars.
Number of School Days.
Monthly Enrolment.
Average
Daily Attendance.
Maximum.
Minimum.
572
241
443
372
390
556
236
460
378
394
558
236
462
362
411
596
238
499
382
437
610
238
507
419
446
Number
Percentage
of
School
Actual Nett
YEAR.
School Boys Examined.
of Passes.
Fees.
Expenditure.
Average
Expense of each Scholar per Average Daily Attendance.
363
91.18
4,084
10,995.35
28.20
365
96.98
4,121
13,109.51
33.22
379
95.58
4,981
13,378.62
32.48
412
95.38
5,273
12,885.00
29.45
405
94.81
5,422
11,680.41
26.17
3. The percentage results of the Prize Examination in English are in Classes IV. VII, VIII, IX, X, XI considerably above the average; the intelligence and special neatness of work in these classes is also a noticeable feature. The results in Classes V and VI in the important subjects of English Grammar and Arithmetic are appalling, both classes failing utterly to evince the least intelli- gent acquaintance, with the work supposed to have been taught in the year. In the Upper School, the fact that the school is in a transitional state is made very apparent by the good results obtained in Class II, and the senior division of Class I, as compared with the poor results in Class III and the junior division of Class I, for on these naturally fell the greater strain in the severer test applied. The total result of the Examination of the School is 94.81 per cent. passed, which is a slightly lower figure than has been attained during the last three years. This is, however, due to the steady, marked, gradual elevation of the standard, year by year with a view to qualifying the scholars for the pursuit of higher studies in the New School; a comparison, based on percentages alone, would therefore convey an erroneous impression, for, with the exception of Classes V and VI, I can conscientiously affirm, that in no year, since my arrival, has the examination given me such unqualified satisfaction, while in- specting the papers.