1887-1903
239
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
25
EDUCATION.
Primary education in Hong Kong may be divided into two great divisions:----
I. Schools in which an English education is given.
II. Schools providing a vernacular education.
Each division may again be divided into three sub-divisions:-
A. Government schools, that is, entirely supported by the Government.
B. Grant-in-aid schools, receiving a yearly grant from the Government, based on the results of examination.
C. Private schools, that is, schools that do not come under Government inspection, and so receive no grant.
I.A. There are four Government schools, outside Queen's College, which give an education in English. These are under the charge of native teachers, who are capable of teaching at least up to the fourth standard. A competitive examination is held each year of boys from these four schools, of whom four are selected for free scholarships tenable at Queen's College. The education at these schools is free, and by far the greater majority of the scholars are Chinese and Eurasians, but there are a few Indians. The number attending these four schools is 631. There is also one school (Belilios Public School for girls) where an English education is given to girls, and a few very young boys who are too young to enter Queen's College, but eventually go there. The number of scholars attending this school is 255, and the five schools together have an average daily attendance of 484.9.
I.B. Of the grant-in-aid schools giving an English education there are 18, having an average daily attendance of 1,320. Nearly all these schools are attached to, and under the guidance of, some religious body; and with the exception of three, viz., the Diocesan School, St. Joseph's College School, and Victoria English School, give quite a primary education only. These three will be mentioned again among the schools giving a secondary education.
I.C. Private schools in which an English education is given. The number of these schools cannot be very correctly stated, especially as it is difficult to say what number of scholars constitutes a school in these circumstances. They also fluctuate a great deal, sometimes being opened till the venturer finds a more lucrative occupation. It appears, however, that there are seven that may be properly called schools. Some of these should come more under the head of Evening Classes held in private houses, generally of some of the native masters of Queen's College.