REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
(Tables 1, II, IV, VI, VII, and VIII)
1. After deducting the school fees received, the total nett expenditure on education was $234,678 ($235,978 in 1916).
2. The ratio which expenditure on education bears to the total revenue of the Colony is 2:29 (2:44 in 1916), and is the lowest figure since 1904.
3. School and Technical Institute Fees amounting to $96,711 were collected ($85,123 in 1916). In addition $3,844.75 fees were remitted to free scholars ($3,963.50 in 1915).
4. The cost of the Government Schools is compared in Table 1 with the average of preceding years.
CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS.
5. This follows the arrangement explained in paragraph 4 of the report for 1914.
SCHOOLS TO WHICH THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY.
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
(Table I.)
6. Committee upon the Teaching of English.---On 31st October, 1916, the Hon. Mr. Lau Chü-pak, Member of the Legislative Council for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, made the following criticism upon the teaching of English to Chinese boys: —
"Turning to the question of the teaching of Chinese boys in English, we also agree that the methods in vogue may well be looked into and improved. Given the same length of time for schooling, and the same standard of education, the Chinese boys learning English nowadays do not as a rule speak and write the language so well as the students of a decade or two ago. The reason is, we should say, that too many subjects are crammed into the heads of the present day students before they have had a proper grounding in the fundamental elements of the language.
At any rate English not being their mother tongue the Chinese students cannot be expected to learn it with the same facility as the English students taught under the same system. We commend this important question to the careful attention of the authorities interested. We say important, Sir, because on the present day students the Courts here more or less depend for the supply in future of competent interpreters and translators, and the University for qualified undergraduates.'
The Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk said: "I beg to support the statements which have just been made by my colleague."