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O 20
Annexe C.
Report on Vernacular Schools, Urban Districts, 1923.
Private Day Schools.-71 new schools were opened during the year-an increase of 13 over the numbers for 1922-and 33 closed. The latter is again the lowest number on record, being a decrease of 3 from that of last year. The total number of schools now existing is 471, including 4 Grant Schools, and the number of pupils enrolled is 24,304—an increase of 3,236.
The number of pupils in Vernacular Schools has thus more than doubled itself since 1914, the year in which the Education Ordinance came into force: the number of schools in the mean time has increased from 360 to 171. Of the 471 schools now existing, 12, including the 4 Grant Schools, are classified as A, 306 as B and 151 as C, and there are 2 Exempted Schools.
Subsidised Schools.-164 schools are now in receipt of subsidy, 25 having been added to the list and 13 struck off as being inefficient. Owing to the high rents that prevail several of the old schools have been paid at a higher rate, and, but for this assistance, school fees would be prohibitive for the class of pupils concerned.
Of the subsidies vote $2710. was saved through the 13 inefficient schools being struck off, and $260 through fines, and the total amount paid out was $64,115, leaving a balance of $3,915 unused. 28 new Free Schools were opened, but only 13 were worth subsidising, or the whole of the vote could easily have been expended.
The proportion of this paid out in aid of the 164 schools still retained on the list being $62,985, and the total eurolment being 9397 (an increase of about 1000) this works out at about $384 a school and $6.82 a head.
Ex-students from the Vernacular Normal Schools for men and women respectively, for whom no vacancies were available in Government Schools, were encouraged with the aid of subsidy to start schools of their own. One of these schools is doing particu- larly well and the other is quite satisfactory.
Grant Schools.-The 4 Upper Grade Grant Schools still continue to be of a high standard. The number of pupils is 1051 and the average attendance 965.
Attendances.-The total enrolment in other schools is 23,253, of whom nearly one third are girls, and the average attendance 20,296-about 87%.