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female education.
-2-
They noted that, while 13% of the male
non-European population is attending school, the corresponding
percentage for females is only about 5. A separate chapter
or section on female eaucetion would, no doubt, reveal
difficulties in the way of female education, and the steps
that are being taken to remove them. Information about the
education of the rast Indian community would also be valuable,
and a reference somewhere in the heport to important problems
that are under discussion or investigation.
The Committee were interested by the reference to the
teaching of English in Aided Anglo-Chinese Schools, and by
the apparent policy of the Department that English classes
should be conducted entirely in English. This is not a
policy that would commend itself, probably, to the majority
of modern language teachers in this country. while there
is a growing feeling in favour of the Direct Method, it is
realised at the same time that a good deal of the explanation,
statement of rules, etc., must often be given in the mother
tongue of the pupil, if cleres. is to be ɔrtained. No
doubt there are local conditions in Hong Kong which have
suggested rather less elasticity in this matter than is
usually considered wise elsewhere. If you can find time, ve
should be interested to hear more from you on this subject,
as we are contemplating a further memorandum on the teaching of
WE
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