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Wantsai School needs better ventilation.
Some of the equipment in most of the schools needs renewal.
V.
The Normal School. We find that excellent work has been done by the Normal Master at Queen's College. But the somewhat mechanical nature of the teaching given by the Chinese masters, and marked defects in their pronunciation and general education, call for special treatment. We recommend that the University be approached in order that a wider range of general studies may be available for Chinese who desire to become. teachers of English. It is noteworthy that until recently the demand for Chinese masters in the Education Department resulted in pupil teachers being made Assistant Masters before the completion of their three years' course. This irregularity has had unfortunate results, and should be avoided in future.
VI.
The Salaries of both English and Chinese masters are insufficient, and we fear that unless they are increased there may be difficulty in getting the stamp of man required. The proportion of better paid appointments is too small.
VII.
Medical Inspection of Schools..-It is well recognised at home that certain physical defects common to school children render their instruction largely a waste of time and money. Among such are defective sight, deafness, adenoids, and bad teeth. There is also the question of infectious diseases. We consider it most desirable that proper provi- sion should be made for the regular inspection of Chinese boys' schools.
VIII.
General. If the recommendations made above are carried out, they will considerably increase the expenditure on Education. Such an increase would not be unreasonable. This is proved by the small proportion of the total expenditure of the Colony now devoted to Education. Though an exact comparison is hard to make, the appended Table shows that Hongkong does not compare favourably with other Crown Colonies in its gifts to Education.
The schools we have been considering provide an eight years' course for Chinese boys, by the results of which they can fairly be judged. It is not fair to judge them as is sometimes done by the attainments of candidates for employment who cannot produce evidence of having completed the course. A formal Certificate is given to every boy who has completed it.
We desire to record our appreciation of the services of Mr. RALPHS as Secretary.
E. IRVING,
Director of Education,
P. H. HOLYOAK.
LAU CHU-PAK.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, 18th May, 1917.
GEO. PIERCY.
WILFRED J. HINTON.
F. M. H. HOLMAN. R. PONSONBY-FANE.
Chairman.