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expended during the same year on those Schools, out of the resources of their respective Societies, supplemented in the case of seven Schools by school-fees, the sum of $58,950.55.
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9. NATURE OF THE EDUCATION GIVEN IN THE SCHOOLS OF THE COLONY. As regards the nature of the education given in local Schools of all descriptions, the vast majority give, of course, a purely Chinese education in the classical Chinese language. There were, in the year 1894, as many as 187 such Schools with 6,538 scholars at work, viz., 95 Kaifong Schools with 1,627 scholars, 88 Schools under Government supervision with 4,689 scholars, and 4 unclassed Schools with 222 scholars. As to Schools giving a purely English education in the English language only, there were, in 1894, at work 26 English Schools with 1,900 scholars, viz., 13 Schools under Government supervision with 1,649. scholars, 9 Kaifong Schools with 130 scholars and 4 unclassed Schools with 121 scholars. But to these must be added the Anglo-Chinese Schools of the Colony, that is to say, Schools in which the English language is taught with the use of the Chinese vernacular (in the lower standards). Of such Anglo-Chinese Schools there were at work, in the year 1894, 11 Schools under Government super- vision with 1,951 scholars. There were further 5 Schools giving to 201 scholars a European education in the Portuguese language, and 3 Schools giving to 160 scholars a European education in the Chinese language.
10. FEMALE EDUCATION.-Leaving the Police School with 356 scholars (men) out of considera- tion, but including Queen's College with its 1,048 boys, the relative numbers of boys and girls under instruction in the Colony stood in 1894 as under :-Government Schools, 1,928 boys and 402 girls; Grant-in-Aid Schools, 3,251 boys and 2,713 girls; Kaifong Schools 1,735 boys and 22 girls; unclassed Schools 102 boys and 241 girls; total 7,016 boys and 3,378 girls. In other words, among the whole number of scholars under instruction in the Schools of the Colony in the year 1894, the girls numbered only 32.49 per cent. This is below the average of the last three years and to some extent caused by the plague which naturally affected girls' schools comparatively more than boys' schools. But the fact is nevertheless quite clear that female education in the Colony is generally in a backward condition, and notably neglected in the Kaifong Schools.
11. NUMBER OF UNEDUCATED CHILDREN IN THE COLONY.-The population of Hongkong, in 1894, has been estimated by the Registrar General, without reference to the removal from the Colony of large numbers of women and children, at 246,006 persons, including 235,224 Chinese and 10,782 persons of non-Chinese extraction (including Army and Navy). On the basis of these figures I estimate the number of children of local school age (6 to 16 persons) present in the Colony, before the outbreak of the plague, at 31,980, viz., 16,950 boys and 15,030 girls. From the returns of this Department, it appears that there were under instruction in Schools of all descriptions during the year 1894, 7,016 boys and 3,378 girls. This would indicate that as many as 21,586 children, viz., 9,934 boys and 11,652 girls of school-going age were not attending School during the year 1894. But as it is certain that a considerable number (say one half) of these boys and girls, 6 to 16 years of age, though not attending School in 1894, owing to their having left School without going through the full course of 10 years' schooling, had previously been for 3 to 4 years under instruction, all that can be said is that the official returns indicate that 9,934 boys and 11,652 girls remained imperfectly educated, and that about half of this number, viz., 4,967 boys and 5,826 girls escaped the education net altogether, and may be put down as remaining uneducated.
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12. RESULTS OF THE ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS. As far as the 99 Grant-in-Aid Schools are concerned, the detailed results of the annual examination of these Schools will be found summarized in Tables X and XT appended to this report, where the grants allowed, and the percentage of scholars passed in each School in 1894, are stated and compared with the results of the preceding year, and in Table XII which records the percentage of passes gained in each subject. As regards the Depart- mental Schools, Tables II to VII supply the most important particulars.
13. BELILIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL.---The former Girls' Central School (giving an English education to European, Eurasian and Chinese children) having been amalgamated, in December 1893, with two existing Chinese Schools which gave a purely Chinese education, has been denominated, since 1st January, 1894, the Belilios Public School. This School, located in a fine building erected by the Honourable E. R. BELILIOS on the site of the old Central School granted by the Government, has been worked in 1894 as one School in two divisions, viz., an English and a Chinese division. The Chinese division consisted, until the close of the year, of two distinct Chinese Schools under separate Masters, but will, owing to the retirement of one master, whose place has been supplied by female teachers, henceforth appear in the returns as one. The enrolment of the Belilios School stood in 1894 at 402 scholars, viz., 127 in the English, and 175-scholars in the Chinese division. This must be considered as a very satisfactory beginning. The average daily attendance, however, was not so encouraging. It stood in April (before the plague commenced) at 253 scholars and in December at 144 scholars. Owing to the proximity of the building to the centre of the infection, the Belilios School felt the effects of the plague far more than the majority of the Schools under this Department. The results of the teaching given in this School are very satisfactory, and the institution is steadily commending itself to those classes of the population for whose special benefit it has been established.
14. DEPARTMENTAL DISTRICT SCHOOLS.-Three of the Government Schools were swept away by the plague and will not be re-opened as the Grant-in-Aid system will readily make good the gap. The other Schools weathered the storm bravely and commenced to resume their ordinary aspects