522
The following Table shews the number of Schools managed by Government and the various educational bodies, divided into Upper and Lower Grade Schools, with the number of scholars in average attendance
Upper Grade. Lower Grade.
Total,
Managing Body.
Schools. Scholars. Schools. Scholars. Schools. Scholars.
Education Department,
424
5
241
II
665
Queen's College,..
1,000
1,000
American Board Mission,
1
78
78
Basel Mission,..
159
159
Church Missionary Society,
332
15
580
20
912
London Missionary Society,
1
.37
18
605
19
642
Berlin Foundling House,
34
34
Rhenish Mission,
...
46
46
Roman Catholic Missions,.
8
391
9
730
17
1,121
Wesleyan Mission,
127
127
Secular (Ellis Kadoorie School),
1
186
186
23
2,404
58
2,566
81
4,970
Thus, by far the most important educational bodies, after the Government, are the Church Missionary Society, and the various Roman Catholic Missions con- sidered as one. Further details are given in Appendices A. (Government Schools) and E. (Grant Schools).
In Appendix F. are shewn graphically the fluctuations in numbers of the scholars of the Colony during recent years. The calculations on which these figures are based require some explanation. The number of scholars in the Government and Grant Schools are calculated from the average attendance. Now the average attendance in Hongkong Schools compared with the numbers on the rolls is very low, partly owing to the annual plague epidemie, which seriously depletes the schools during certain months of the year, and partly because the Chinese scholars are constantly withdrawn by their parents to attend social and religious functions at their homes on the mainland. The severity of the plague in 1896 and 1901 is reflected in the serious drop in the attendances for those years.
Nevertheless a more accurate reproduction of the actual state of affairs is obtained by making the average attendance the basis of calculation, than would have been arrived at, had the total enrolment been used. The scholars of Hong- kong, in the Vernacular Schools especially, consider it desirable to change their schools with great frequency; and consequently a considerable proportion of them appear on the rolls of two or more schools in the same year.
The greater regularity in the curves of the Government and Grant Schools during the past few years must be ascribed in some degree to the greater strictness of the method of checking the attendances.
The slight decrease in the number of scholars in Government and Grant Vernacular Schools is mainly due to the closing of Government Vernacular Schools at Saiyingpun and Wantsai. As, however, the Chinese Written Language is now taught in all the Anglo-Chinese Government and Grant Schools, the number of scholars receiving instruction in it has really increased.
The curves shewing the numbers of scholars in English and Vernacular Schools not in receipt of aid from Government, are based on enquiries made by the attend- ance officer, and cannot be considered as at all accurate. The Vernacular Private Schools are increasing in numbers, and some of them are now much more efficient than were the Government and Grant Vernacular Schools of a few years ago, so rapidly is reform in education spreading. The private English Schools are in some cases also very efficient. They include a school under the Church Missionary Society for the wealthier Chinese students, as well as one for European children, with an enrolment of over 40, recently opened on the Peak.
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