06
PART II.
Chapter I.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR.
1. The continued unsettled conditions in China caused by the Sino-Japanese conflict were again responsible for an influx of both Chinese and Europeans, and there was a sharp rise in the attendance figures of educational institutions. The maximum enrolment in all classes of schools reached the record figure of 104,134, an increase of 17,141 over the previous year.)
2. The Government Trade School was officially opened by His Excellency, Sir Geoffry Northcote, K.C.M.G., on 12th April, 1938.
3. Heads of schools had consultations with the Air Raid Precaution Officer and during the latter part of the year, were engaged in formulating plans for cases of emergency.
4. During the year a revision of the Hong Kong School Certificate syllabus was undertaken. Great assistance in this task was given by the Hong Kong Teachers Association. This body also inaugurated a scheme for exhibiting educational films in schools in the Colony.
5. During the year a committee was appointed by His Excellency the Governor to review and report on the teacher training syllabus in operation at the Hong Kong University, and in the normal classes held in connection with the Evening Institute, and to make recommendations in relation to either or both systems". The Committee's recommendations were published as report No. 8, 1938.
Chapter II.
LEGISLATION, ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL.
1. Legislation (a) Ordinances:--No new ordinances were enacted during the year.
(b) Regulations:-(1) No changes were made in the Grant Code. (2) A new subsidy scheme for Vernacular schools was drawn up and was under consideration at the end of the year. (3) During the year the syllabus for the Hong Kong School Certificate Examination was under revision. The following are the changes adopted for the 1939 and subsequent examinations.
(i) New syllabuses in English, Geography, Urdu, Portuguese, French, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Algebra, and Trigonometry were approved.
(ii) Latin will no longer be included in the examination.
(iii) No provision will be made for an examination in "Set Books" in the English syllabus. A "pass" will be awarded on the aggregate of the remaining sections, English, General English and Dictation.