18.
momber also said that adequate provision was not made for the pupils who were excluded from the various Government schools by the opera- tion of the refurins recommnen led in Desember of last your. The effect of those reforms was to exclude a considerable number of pupils who had previously overcrowded many of oar schools, and particularly in the direction of reducing the number of pupils in the lower classes. Those pupils were, as I thought I had previously explained, in receipt of primary education, and the Government, in order to make room for them, founded three primary schools, one at Mongkok, ove at Taipingshan, and que on the Praya East. Two of these, I regret to say, had to close because the average attendance only amounted to 17. The third, at Praya East, has been a success, and we will provide another mastor for it next year. Another claimant for any money which may be available to spend on education has been put forward on behalf of the children in the Now Territory. This has not been mentioned in debate this afternoon but in discussing how this money should be spent, the Council will perhaps excise me if I allude to it, as I think it may be of interest. The Council will, I am sure, agree that if education in the New Terri- torios is neglected, and if it cau be shown that the Government has not adequately attended to it, it forms a very strong claim on us for increased expenditure. The District Officer of the New Territory informs me as follows: Nearly every village has a school of sorts There is probably in the New Territories about one school to every 400 in population. Then, as to the point made of help which the Govern- ment gives schools in the New Territory, in 1910 we spent something over $2,000, which is rather less than one per cent, of the revenue derived from the New Territory, but it must be remembered that the sum is spent on primary education only, and that all the schools in Hongkong are eqna ly open to boys from the New Territory as they are to boys of Hong- kong. The cost of each pupil where another Government school is desired in the New Territory is o ly $6, and wherever a dowand is made for a school it will, in every case, be com- plied with at once. The people, however, prefer to run their schools in their own way. Therefore the most practical way to look at the subject seems to me to be to look at what the results are. By the last census I understand the nam- ber of males who could read and write in the New Territory is given as 573 per cent., the number by the last census in India who could read and write is 1.3. I think those figures are extraordinarily striking. The demand for education in rural districts is exceedingly small both in India and amongst the Chinese. The boo, senior unofficial member also referred to the education given to British children in what have been called British schools I say have been called," because they are not solely British schools, as 15 per cent, of the pupils of the two schools are of nationalities other than British, and any child of European or American parentage is accepted. Here, again. I think the Council will agree with me that the education afforded European and American children should be adequate. It was with that object in view that my predecessor opened these two schools about nine years ago, and the schools have been fairly successful. As you know, there is a school for boys near Causeway Bay and one for girls at Kowloon. The criticism which has bren directed to this subject is, I suppose, in the sense that there should be also a girls school on this side and a boys' school on the other side. I have not heard of any demand There is the for a girls' school on this side.
Diooosin Girls' School attended by many girls of European and mixed race, and several go soross daily to school at Kowloon. There remains the
opposite question as to whether a boys' schoolis re- quired at Kowloon. In the first place I should like to point out to the Connoil that these two schools were never intended to be charity schools, as many of the parents of the children are in a fairly well-to-do position. Nevertheless in the years 1908 and 1909 the cost of education to each child at these two schools was $196.30. Of that sum the Government bore $161 74 and the parents bore $34.56. The taxpayer there- fore bore four-fifths of the cost of each child at either of those two schools, while the highest cost borne by the Government in any other school in tho
Colony is $55 77, that
is to sy, 38 per cent., at Queen's College, Although the cost of the teaching
staff at Kowloon school had been IT- duced by the substitution of a Lead-mistress for a bead-master, still the Government paid some- where about three-fourths of the cost of each pupil at the Kowloon school, and the question remains whother, in spite of the cost, a boys' school is required at Kowloon. I learn by the census which has just been taken that there are 82 European and American boys between the ages of 5 and 16, including children of soldiers. Of these 82, 25 are already at the Government school, 40 go to the garrison school, and there aro 17 remaining. Those 17 can either come across the water in a school at Causeway Bay, or if they wish it they can go to the garrison school. which, as I said, accepts civilian children. No doubt if we included children o' mixed par- entare there would be a larger number, bat so far I have not heard of any demand for such a school. It seems to me therefore the conclusion is inevitable that to establish a boys' school at Kowloon would be premature at present. First of all, because the Government bear 80 or 90 per cent, of the cost of each child, secondly, because there are so few boys, and, thirdly, because there are other places at which they can obtain educa- tion. The oue tion at both these schools is reported upon by the Director of Education as being very advanced considering the average i ages of the sildren, The average atten- dance is 48, while the staff is competent for an attendance of 150. The hon. senior anofficial member also asked another question which is very munch akin to this one. He wanted to know what facil ties would be granted for the preparation of European boys for the University. I shou'd imagine, and have asked one or two others whether they agree with me, that there are from six to a dozen such boys in the Colony between the ages of 16 and 18, and there are various opportunities for them to obtain preparation for the matriculation examination The headmaster of the British boys' school, Mr. Cox, is fully competent to give such instruction. They could also qualify at Queen's College, St. Joseph's Coliere, the Diocesan School, and the Technical Institute in the evening. Their number being so very fox, it is impossible to make separate arrangements for them. The next point is the question of the! Technical Insti e for artisans. I have heard that the Chinese Y. M.C.C. have a project of that I natare in view, which is largely due, I believe, ! to the senior anofficial member. Until we know what is the scops and asture of that institution it is premature for the Government to make the promise on
the subject, bat Government will accept any scheme well calculated for the training of its citizens. My town view is that a careful and well conducted scheme of apprenticeships is likely to be more valuable than a class room education. That, however, is matter of private opinion, 'heu as to the question of provision for the education of girls in this Colony. We have a Government girls' school, of which I have been speaking, at Kowloon, and schools to which the Goverument makes an annual grant, such as the Diocesan Girls' School, and
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