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(6) Mr. Mayhew referred to the Annual Education Reports, and Abstracts of Reports, which had been circulated with papers for the Meeting:
(i) Gambia.-Though the Gambia Report showed an encouraging develop- ment of vocational training and of teacher training, it was unfortunate that since the Report was written, Commander Shuter the headmaster of the Armitage School, Georgetown-and his first assistant, had left the school. Their places were not at present to be filled and Mr. Hamlyn, Superintendent of Education, was taking charge of the school, in addition to his other duties.
(ii) Hong Kong. Mr. Mayhew referred to the form and content of the Hong Kong Report and hoped that the Committee would agree to recommend that copies of one or two of the best Reports should be sent to the Director of Education as specimens.
The Committee agreed.
(iii) Northern Rhodesia,—With reference to the Report on European Educa- tion, Northern Rhodesia, Mr. Mayhew pointed out that the increase in enrolment from 564 to 774 was the largest annual increase that had been recorded there. The increase had been mainly in the mining areas. Pending the provision of secondary school facilities, 29 grants were being paid by Government for secondary education outside the Colony.
(iv) Palestine and Federated Malay States. Mr. Mayhew drew attention to the encouraging features of the Palestine Education Report and the Report of the Federated Malay States, which had been emphasized in the Abstracts (ACEC 24/31 and 26/31 respectively). Oversea Education contained a considerable number of articles on various aspects of education in those areas and the current October number contained an account of compulsory education in Malaya, while the January number would contain an account of an experimental child village in Palestine. He also drew attention to the fact noted in the Federated Malay States Report that Dr. Winstedt had recently termi- nated his ten years' service as head of the Department. Most important developments had taken place during that period and Dr. Winstedt acknowledged gratefully the loyal co-operation of his staff.
(v) Trinidad and the Falkland Islands. Annual Reports from these had also been received, but it was not thought necessary to circulate either the Reports or Abstracts thereof. Copies would be circulated to members who might wish to see them.
(c) Nigeria.-An Education Ordinance for the Northern Provinces, 1931, had been received. Mr. Mayhew referred briefly to the more important features of the Ordinance, and said that a few spare copies were available which could be sent to any members, who might desire to see them, for perusal and return.
(d) Swaziland. Referring to the Note on Education by the Resident Commissioner (ACEC 21/31), Mr. Mayhew said that this Note would presum- ably be taken into consideration by the sub-committee which was investigating educational proposals for Bechuanaland and Swaziland.
(e) West Africa.-Mr. Mayhew reported that Miss Heath, who had recently been touring West Africa as the World's Young Women's Christian Association representative, had placed a copy of the report of her visit at the disposal of the Committee and had also given information regarding the Young Women's Christian Association plans for development of their work in West Africa. This report could be supplied to any members of the Committee who might wish to see it in connexion with women's education in Africa.
(f) Mr. Vischer's Report on his Visit to Tripoli.-Mr. Mayhew said that this report was practically complete but that submission of it to the Committee had been delayed pending Mr. Vischer's return and final revision. Meanwhile
*Sierra Leone, 1929. Seychelles, 1930 (with abstract ACEC 19/31). Sudan, 1930. Gambia, 1930. Zanzibar, 1930 (with abstract, ACEC 22/21). Hong Kong, 1930 (with abstract ACEC 23/31). Northern Rhodesia, European Education, 1930. Palestine, 1930 (with abstract, ACEC 24/31), Federated Malay States, 1930 (with abstract ACEC 26/31).
Compare 19th Minutes, Item 5, 25th Minutes. Item 3 (ii) (a). (See pages Miscellaneous No. 397.)
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Mr. Vischer had kindly given permission for certain portions of it to appear in Oversea Education if required. Mr. Mayhew asked whether the Committee saw any objection to such publication, pending submission of the full Report to the Committee, if due acknowledgement was made.
The Committee saw no objection,
(g) Kenya.-Referring to the Governor's despatch of the 10th July (ACEC 25/31), regarding certain Government African schools, Mr. Mayhew said that in view of certain comments which had been made by the Committee on proposals for re-organization of African education, it was satisfactory to have an assurance from the Governor that the schools were essentially experi- mental and that there was no intention of entrusting their control or the control of similar schools in whole or in part to the local Native Councils. The assurance regarding subsidies to Mission schools in paragraph 4 of the despatch should also be noted.
4. Cultural Relations with China (Hong Kong University).—Discussion of the Report of the British Economic Mission to the Far East (circulated with ACEC 16/31) was resumed from the 29th Meeting (minutes Item 6). A memorandum by Lord Lugard (ACEC 20/31) had been circulated.
The CHAIRMAN thanked Lord Lugard on behalf of the Committee for his memo- randum. He pointed out, however, that this memorandum had been written in July, since when the financial situation in this country had changed considerably. This affected particularly Lord Lugard's recommendations for applying for assistance from the Empire Marketing Fund and the Colonial Development Fund. The Chairman very much doubted whether the Secretary of State would be prepared to adopt these suggestions; or whether, if he did, there was the smallest prospect that assistance would be given. He explained that he was expressing his personal opinion and was without explicit instructions in the matter.
Sir JAMES CURRIE considered that if the suggestions commended themselves to the Committee they should be recommended to the Secretary of State irrespective of their chance of being adopted.
The CHAIRMAN mentioned in this connexion that in so far as the Colonial Develop- ment Fund was available for educational purposes, advances could be made for technical education only.
Mr. HORRABIN added that he had obtained a promise from the Secretary of State in the House of Commons that applications of this kind would not be rejected out of hand on account of the reduction in the Grant. They would be considered on their merits though those schemes which would give the greatest and speediest benefit to the United Kingdom would stand the best chance of success. Lord Lugard in his memorandum| had made out a strong case from the commercial point of view, which should operate: in favour of this proposal.
Sir JAMES CURRIE said that he had heard that the young Chinese were unable to read a British engineering specification and could only read United States specifications. They were also beginning to go to Soviet Universities.
Professor SOOTHILL said that the Chinese were jealous of Hong Kong University and would oppose any proposals for further subsidizing out of the Indemnity Fund. Efforts should be made to establish the reputation of the University in special lines of study. This could be done by improvements in the faculties of engineering and medicine. In addition the arts faculty, an essential element in any University, should be strengthened, especially on the Chinese side. The development of medicine and engineering involved increased facilities for physics and chemistry. Improved in this way, Hong Kong University could be made the leading force in China in engineering, and in medicine would be rivalled only by Shanghai.
Lord LUGARD, referring to the suggestion that Hong Kong University was un- popular in China, said that he had understood from Professor Forster that the reverse was the case.
Mr. SEWELL said that the United Committee for Christian Universities of China were very anxious that more of their students should go to Universities in Great Britain, instead of the United States of America, but that it was difficult to get them into Universities in this country. Most of the Christian Universities in China had heen registered in America and their degrees were accepted by Universities in the Dominions. There was a strong move to get students to go to the Dominions rather than to the United States. For the undergraduate medical students whom he had taught in China the natural centre for academic work seemed to him to be Hong Kong. In general, the parents of the boys wished them to go to Hong Kong, but for
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political reasons strong pressure was often brought to bear and the students went to Pekin. This was a difficulty which would not be overcome while there was a strong Nationalist feeling in China. In Western China there was little knowledge of Hong Kong University, which should be the leading University. The Chinese Government had ordered that a school of engineering should be established in Canton and had selected the Christian College. The money had been provided and the building estab- lished. Hong Kong University should be linked up with China and developed so as to occupy an authoritative and influential position in the Chinese academic world.
In reply to a question from Sir James Currie, Mr. SEWELL said that there was pressing need for agricultural education.
Mr. BEALE said that during the last twenty years British trade with China had fallen considerably, and the whole trend of China had been towards the United States. Equipment was almsot entirely of United States origin. China was on the eve of a greater industrial development than ever before, and Great Britain was in danger of not having her fair share of trade with China. Any students sent to Great Britain should be carefully selected and it should be ascertained that they would ultimately return to China. There was a real need for an educational and cultural contact between Great Britain and China.
Mr. FARRER said that, while recognizing these considerations, the view taken in the Department of Overseas Trade had hitherto been that the evidence accumulated by Lord Buxton's Committee showed that it was more desirable that education should be cultural rather than technical. In so far as technical education was concerned, the greatest value appeared to arise from actual training in the workshop, but there were considerable practical difficulties in the way of arranging this. With regard to cultural education for foreigners, it had originally been proposed to refer such questions to a committee to be set up by the Foreign Office, but owing to the pressure of economy, the institution of that committee was understood to have been dropped. Professor SOOTHILL said that a University must be judged by the character of the pupils which it sent out. He asked whether Hong Kong University came up to standard in this respect and if it was definitely giving the engineering students more than they could receive from the other Universities. If not, then it would only be regarded as a second-rate University.
Mr. CALDER explained that the Hong Kong Government contributed nearly $400,000 per annum to the University and were not in a position to give more money. A certain amount was received in fees, but the majority of the students had scholar- ships. The University had always been struggling against financial difficulties.
Sir JAMES CURRIE asked if any financial help could be obtained from Europeans in Hong Kong. There was a general feeling that not much additional help could at present be expected from that quarter.
Lord LUGARD, in reply to a question from the Chairman, said that those Chinese students who had returned to their own country from the United States brought back a genuine enthusiasm for and belief in all things which emanated from there.
The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee were agreed that it was most desirable to do anything that could be done to increase British trade and influence in China, but he felt some doubt as to how far this general question came within the Committee's ambit. The difficulty on which they were asked to advise was that of finding, through educational means, a way of achieving the desired end. One suggestion was that provision should be made for scholarships from China to Hong Kong University and post-graduate scholarships from China to British Universities. He asked Dr. Lindsay whether such scholarships could be given out of the £200,000 placed at the disposal of the Universities China Committee from the Boxer Indemnity Fund.
Dr. LINDSAY said that the Universities China Committee could not come to any decision until a deputation, which was visiting China to examine the situation, had returned home and reported. This would probably not be till about June, 1932. At present, therefore, was impossible to say how the £200,000 would be expended. It was intended for the benefit of Chinese Universities as a whole, but, speaking for himself, he thought that a certain amount might be allocated to Hong Kong University, while some of it would probably be used for the benefit of Chinese students in Great Britain. The deputation, of which Sir Reginald Johnstone was a member, would visit Hong Kong.
Turning to another question that had been raised, viz. :-the supervision of Chinese students in this country, the CHAIRMAN drew attention to the fact that a sub- committee had been appointed at the last meeting to consider what steps could best be taken to ensure the proper supervision of students from all parts of the Colonial Empire. He suggested that in so far as students from Hong Kong were concerned it