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In the table it will be seen that there are entries of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 candidates. Entries in such small numbers are of no use as an indication of standard,
Except in the case of the girls' schools the examination results must be considered poor and when all allowances are made it is clear that the practice of premature promotion is still- prevalent.
The Board of Education has recommended that examination at the Junior Local stage should not be discontinued; but unless it can be shown that the present examination is unsuitable for the schools of the Colony, and even when one allows for the leaven of English speaking children in the girls' schools the successes gained by their pupils do not support the suggestion, it is questionable whether the present facilities should be con- tinued when so many candidates are obviously unfitted for the examination.
(ii) Every year all the boys in Class 4 in Queen's College, King's College and the four Government "District" Schools compete at a common examination for entrance into Class 3 at Queen's College or King's College. In 1930 of 358 candidates 202 or 57% gained admission into the upper schools of those institutions.
It is hoped that in 1981 it will be possible to arrange for this examination to be thrown open for public entry. This should be of assistance to those schools which are unable to maintain adequate senior school staffs.
(iii) Particulars of examinations in the Technical Institute and Government Normal Schools will be found in chapters IV and V.
(iv) From time to time, as application is made, examina- tions of the University of London are held at the Education Office. In 1930 there were two Matriculation Examinations, one in January and one in June.
These examinations do not form any part of the educational system of the Colony but are arranged for the convenience of the public.
(v) Four examinations of the Royal Sanitary Institute were held during the year-one in Sanitary Science, two for Sanitary Inspectors and one for Food and Meat Inspectors.
(vi) The School Certificate Examination of the University of Cambridge was held in December in connection with the Peace Memorial Scholarship,
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(vii) There were about 150 candidates for the January examination for Government Probationary Clerkships. March, April and May there were nine examinations for Interpreters and Translators' certificates. 136 candidates were examined and 50 gained certificates.
HEALTH
Dr. Minett has continued as Medical Officer for Schools throughout the year, Dr. Douglas Laing being appointed assist- unt in April.
During the year over 2,600 children have been medically inspected, 1,364 of these as new entrants, the others for re- inspection of some defect found. The percentage of physical defect found is 34 in the British Schools and 43.5 in the Anglo- Chinese schools.
Two Vernacular Schools, the Vernacular Normal at Taipo, and the Women's Normal, have been added to the number of schools medically inspected.
Defect in vision is the most out-standing, in some cases reaching to 40% of the higher classes. 207 cases have been seen by the oculist, and practically all have been provided with glasses. In many cases these will need renewal within two years. No provision of special "sight-saving classes" has been possible.
Special inspections for evidence of malaria gave a low spleen index, and a low percentage of incidence in the blood, although a good deal of absence, especially in country schools, is put down to "fever".
The two school nurses have paid 105 visits to homes, usual- ly to persuade parents to take children for treatment.
Co-operation has been closer with various departments of the Government Civil Hospital, and tonsil operation, X ray, electrical, massage, and trachoma treatment have been arranged in a large number of cases.
In the office of the Medical Officers for Schools small clinics have been started for regular treatment and supervision of tubercular or "pre-tubercular" children and of children suffering from ear and throat diseases. By this means it is hoped to get in touch with "contacts" of tubercular cases, a most important part of anti-tuberculosis work.
Special remedial exercises for spinal curvature, mouth breathing, flat foot, etc. have been carried out in the British Schools and in Belilios Public School by the Physical Training Mistress.
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