PROVIDED SCHOOLS-BRITISH
36. The total number of children enrolled in these four schools was 508 as compared with 534 in 1933.
37. During the course of the year the great bulk of the work of site formation for the new Central British School was completed. Detailed plans and specifications were also drawn up. The building, which has been entrusted to a private architect, will, it is confidently expected, start on 1st April next. The plans provide for 18 class-rooms, of which 12 accommodating 350 pupils will be proceeded with at once.
38. It should be noted that Kowloon and other Junior British Schools are not nursery schools and no children under five years can be admitted. Nor should what is effectively private tuition be expected for the benefit of children whose school education has been neglected or delayed.
PROVIDED SCHOOLS-ENGLISH
39. There are twelve of these, among which is the "District school for Indians" where Urdu takes the place of Chinese; and the Junior Technical School. The total number enrolled in 1934 was 3,543 as compared with 3,682 in 1933.
40. A small change in the syllabus of the District Schools and the lower classes of King's College and Queen's College was made, by which a modicum of world history was introduced uniformly into both the English and the Vernacular syllabus.
41. In 1930 a Committee appointed to examine the then Chinese syllabus found that this was too heavy and that some of the text books in use were out of date. The chief features of the new syllabus which came into force in 1932 are (a) that a portion and not the whole of the Four Books is taken; (b) the deletion of Chinese Geography; (c) a reduction in the amount of Chinese History, which is at the same time rendered more definite; (d) the aim of the course to be a more practical knowledge of the written language; (e) the use of more up-to-date books; (f) the whole based on an assumption of four years' preliminary education.
42. The Examination for promotion to Class 3 at Queen's College and King's College, which is now open to all schools of the Colony, was conducted as usual in 1934. 349 boys were examined and 174 passed, or approximately 50%. The entries from non-Government schools were still very disappointing, as, though seventeen candidates presented themselves, none passed.
43. The total number enrolled in the four Lower Grade Schools was 436 as compared with 433 in 1933.