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Of Grant Schools only the Upper Grade ones remain on the list. There are now only four of these, the C. M. S. School at Pokfulam having been given up.
Of Night Schools 10 new ones opened and 6 old ones closed. The total number now existing is 20, with an enrolment of 651 pupils and an average attendance of 398, compared with 389 in 16 Schools last year. Three applications were sent in for permission to open Night Schools for girls and women. These were referred to the Sub-Committee of the Board of Education, and two were allowed after suitable persons had been found to guarantee proper control.
The Model Syllabus for use in Vernacular Schools---originally confined to Grant Schools---has been revised, with the assistance of the Sub-Committee, and is now to serve as the type for all Subsidised Schools, and copies are being distributed to all other schools too. This means a general raising of the Standard expected and is the chief reason for the increased number of Schools in Class C.
Scholarships for boys from Vernacular to District Schools have been increased from 12 to 24 and for girls to the Belilios Public School from 8 to 12. These Free places are now thrown open to candidates from the best of the Subsidised Schools instead of being confined to pupils from Grant Schools.
The Industrial School for boys, in High Street, managed by the Wesleyan Mission, has been enlarged and the enrolment has increased from 33 to 51. An Industrial School for girls, at Causeway Bay, managed by Miss Pitts, has also grown and the numbers have gone up from 20 to 74. There have been no prosecutions during the year.
Each School has been visited at least once by an Inspector and from two to six times by a Sub-Inspector. I have myself taken charge of Subsidised Schools and have seen to the classification of all new Schools. Mr. Forrest has been in charge of the non-subsidised schools on the Mainland and in the Eastern Districts, and Mr. Yu of those in the Central and Western Districts.
A. R. CAVALIER, Inspector of Vernacular Schools.