Appendix N.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION.
NUMBERS AND CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS.
(Tables I and III.)
1. The number of Government Schools was increased by three owing to the formation of three Lower Grade District Schools (paragraphs 10 and 32).
2. One small English Grant School (No. 5) and the only Lower Grade English Grant School for Chinese (No. 14) were withdrawn from the Grant List at the request of the management in the course of the year. The latter is being maintained as a private school,
NUMBER OF PUPILS.
(Tables I, II and III)
3. The total number in average attendance at Government and Grant Schools is 6,297 (6,560 last year). The loss is confined to Government Schools, which number 1,960 (2,326 last year), and is the result of an intentional limitation of the maximum numbers taught by one master (paragraph 8) and of the increased fees at Saiyingpun School (paragraph 24).
4. The decrease thus caused at Queen's College and the three District Schools that feed it is nearly 400 (1,345: 1,737). It is probable that this set back is merely temporary. The numbers in the other groups of schools, British Schools, English Grant Schools, Vernacular Grant Schools, etc., show no changes calling for special comment.
5. The numbers at the Private Schools of the Colony as shown in Table II are only approximate, and claim to be those of the maximum enrolment, not average attendance. The English private day schools show a very remarkable increase. They include St. Stephen's Schools (Boys and Girls), St. Paul's, the Church Missionary Society School for girls and Miss Deane's School for boys. The enrolment at these is 520. The balance, which are all schools under Chinese management, have an enrolment of about 1,060. This would mean an average attendance of about 850. If the returns of the fees collected as supplied to me are correct, the fees charged average on this calculation $22.50 per annum for each unit of average attendance.
6. The Vernacular Private Schools number 196 (148 in 1909). The large increase probably is to some extent apparent only, greater pains having been taken in tracking out these schools. The maximum enrolment is 5,759, equivalent to an average attendance of about 4,610 on which number the monthly fee works out at