AnnualReport-1916

15

IV.--EDUCATION.

No important changes have taken place in the Education Department during the year under review. The Staff has been depleted by causes due to the war.

The total number of pupils at schools in the Colony excluding the Police School and the uncontrolled schools in the New Territories are:

English Schools. Vernacular Schools. Total. Government Schools, - 2,433 2,433 Military Schools, 105 - 105 Excluded Private Schools, 645 - 645 Grant Schools, 1,522 1,978 3,500 Controlled Private Schools, 2,633 10,159 12,792 Controlled Private Schools, New Territories, - 1,093 1,093 Technical Institute, 535 - 535 Total, 7,873 13,230 21,103

The most important schools, apart from the excluded schools, are Queen's College for Chinese, four District Schools its feeders, and the Belilios Public School for Chinese girls. There is an Indian School of growing importance now housed in a new building presented to the Colony by Mr. Ellis Kadoorie. Kowloon School and Victoria School for children of British parentage have an average attendance of about 120. There is also a school for the children of the Peak District. The Diocesan School and Orphanage and St. Joseph's College are important boys' schools in receipt of an annual grant. The Italian, French, and St. Mary's Convents, and the Diocesan Girls' School, are the most important of the English Grant Schools for girls.

The Hongkong Technical Institute affords an opportunity for higher education of students who have left school. Instruction was given in 1916 in Mathematics, Machine Drawing, Architectural Design, and Building Construction; in Chemistry, Physics and Electricity; in Commercial English, Logic and Political Economy; in French, Shorthand and Book-keeping; and in Translation from and into Chinese. Classes in Sanitation (Public Hygiene) are also held, the examinations being conducted under the auspices of the Royal Sanitary Institute, London. Classes for Men and Women Teachers, both "English" and "Vernacular", are a feature of the Institute.

The Lecturers are recruited from the members of the Medical and Educational faculties of the Colony, and from the Department