# REPORT ON VERNACULAR SCHOOLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, 1921.
Of the 80 Schools on the list at the end of 1920 15 closed and 20 new schools were put on the list, bringing the total up to 85. Of these 9 are up to Class A standard, 61 Class B and 15 Class C. A further subsidy of $120 was awarded in the case of 7 Class A Schools and of $60 each in the case of 21 Schools of Class B which were above the average.
An up-to-date school built by the people of the Pat Heung district at their own expense was at last completed in October and H. E. the Governor performed the opening ceremony. It is situated right in the centre of the plain and will serve as a central school for the whole district. It has already had the effect of depleting the upper classes of some of the neighbouring village schools. The school is being run on modern lines, under a trained and capable Headmaster, and promises to do well. Apart from the cost of building, the running expenses of such a school are much greater than those of the ordinary village school, and subsidy was consequently granted at an unusually high rate, viz., $20 per mensem, which was subsequently raised to $25.
New and up-to-date premises for the school at Kau Wa Keng, which is also run on modern lines, were completed early in the year and opened by the Hon. the Director of Education.
At Cheung Chau the Kai-fong started a Free School for which they applied for subsidy. It was decided to give them a year's trial, and the school having proved satisfactory it will now be placed on the subsidy list.
Previous to this year only subsidised schools were inspected, and this year a beginning was made of the inspection and registration of all schools, whether subsidised or not.
Certificates were issued to 85 subsidised and 103 non-subsidised schools. Of the latter 4 closed, leaving a total of 184 schools on the list.
The number of pupils in subsidised schools is 2,129, including 145 girls, and the average attendance 1,796; in non-subsidised schools 1,860 and the average attendance 1,300. The percentage of pupils who continue beyond the third year standard is still about the same as last year.
Applications were received very late in the year in some cases and in the case of 10 schools the teachers had already gone elsewhere before a certificate was even issued. At Wang Chau and Mong Tseng Wai the existence of a second school was reported after we had already been to see those that were duly registered.