388
18
The results obtained by these schools as a class have been hitherto so unsatis- factory because of the want of English masters. The English Language and Western Knowledge cannot be taught satisfactorily here any more than in Queen's College or the District Schools by Chinese alone.
Under the system proposed a school of 150 boys or two schools of 70 or 80 boys each would fully occupy the time of one English master. He should himself teach English, and should superintend and direct the instruction given by the Chinese
masters.
Under present conditions, it is not practicable to insist upon the English masters knowing Chinese. But the Committee recommend that no school where the requisite number of masters are without this knowledge should be considered as qualified to earn the maximum Grant.
It has been represented to the Committee that if this policy is carried out, it will lead to the withdrawal of some of the existing Anglo-Chinese Grant Schools from their connection with the Government. Though it is highly desirable that all these schools should conform to the suggestions above indicated and increase their efficiency, still it is better that they should withdraw, than that they should continue inefficient and at the same time be in receipt of a Grant. So far as these schools are l'repara- tory Schools, attended by boys who are anxious to obtain a good knowledge of Eng- lish, the Committee are emphatically of the opinion that supervision by English masters is necessary.
But, as a matter of fact, these schools principally serve the purposes of boys who wish to learn just enough English to fit them to be servants or shopmen ; and in so far as they are doing useful work which cannot conveniently be carried on by other existing institutions in the Colony, they deserve Government assistance. This assistance they should continue to receive in the mean time, but not on such a scale as will enable them to enter into unfair competition with efficient private schools, or to induce boys by the offer of tuition at nominal fees to waste their time by learning a smattering of English, which will be of no use to them in after life.
To meet this state of affairs the following recommendations are made :-
(i.) A limited number of Elementary Anglo-Chinese Schools under Chinese
teachers should be assisted by the Government.
(ii.) A Grant of $6 for every scholas in average attendance should be
given them.
(iii) No Grant shonld be given for tuition above the Third Standard. (iv.) There is no need at present of any increase in the amount of money set apart for this class of school; aud as soon as the number of English Classes in the Vernacular Schools (see section 26) is sufficient, and the success of that experiment assured, il is recommended that the Government should then consider the advisability of withdrawing the Grant altogether from these Elementary Anglo-Chinese Schools.
50. Besides the English master, Chinese masters should be engaged in not less a proportion than one to every fifty boys in average attendance:
51. Boys desirous of entering these schools from Private Schools must pass the examination laid down in Section 38A.
Boys who have previously passed the Fifth Standard at a Vernacular District or Grant School might be excused this entrance examination.