O.24
Annexe D.
REPORT ON THE VERNACULAR SCHOOLS, RURAL DISTRICTS, 1922.
1. No. of Subsidised Schools. Of the 85 schools on the Subsidy List at the end of 1921, 4 closed at the beginning of this year, 2 (San Ha Wai and Ping Yeung) were removed from the list owing to the change of managements, and 2 (Wo Hang and Cheung Chau Fung Sham Kie's) were struck off as being inefficient. 24 schools were added to the list, bringing the total up to 101. In the course of the year, the Tai Long School lost its teacher and had to be closed; the Sai Kung R. C. School also lost the Head Teacher, and was removed from the list pending the appointment of a suitable man to the Headteachership; and at Un Long, Tse Kun Chiu's school was struck off on the ground of inefficiency. The number of Subsidised Schools is now 98.
2. Classification of Schools and Subsidies. - 13 schools were placed under class A, 32 class B (as against 61 in 1921) and 53 class C. The Shui Lau Tin School which increased its staff to 3 teachers including one teacher of English was given $60 per month, and the remaining 12 class A schools, $15. More money being available, it was possible this year to award $10 per month to all class B schools. The falling off of the number of schools in this class does not really mean that the schools were getting worse, but is due to the classification which has been more strict on account of the increased subsidy for all class B schools.
3. English. - English is included in the curriculum in 4 of these schools, viz: Shui Lau Tin, Ping Long, Kau Wa Keng and Kwai Chung. The work is of the most elementary nature, but the Shui Lau Tin School has made good progress and is very promising. The results of the other three schools are poor.
4. School Gardening. - Another experiment was made of getting the N. T. children to take an interest in botanical work. The Tai Wai School, Sha Tin, was allotted a patch of ground and supplied with onion seeds, and the pupils of the upper classes - about 20 in number - were shown, under the supervision of the Superintendent, Botanical and Forestry Department, how to work on this garden. It is said that a crop may be expected in March next.
5. Free Scholarships. - 3 Free Scholars were admitted to Tai Po English School from Vernacular Schools in the neighbourhood, and 2 to Un Long.
6. No. of Non-Subsidised Schools. Of the 99 non-subsidised schools existing at the end of 1921, 26 closed during the year and 47 new schools were registered. 24 schools were transferred to...