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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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Unofheral Members of Council on the Board will lead thrm to take special interest in the details of the working of the Department

5 It will be taived that the Committee proposes that the Board should The average of fees for the last receive all fees and distribute the grants in aid

There have five years has been $34,550 in Singapore and $5,240 in Malacca. hitherto been no tlovernment English schools in Penang, but the placing of the girls' school under Government (see my despatch. No 315, of 20th August, 1905*) will increase the amunt of fees by about $4,000 per annum

6 The adoption of this recommendation will thus somewhat reduce the defence contribution, but it seems only proper that a Board constituted as is proposed should be entrusted with the receipt and distribution of these funds.

I have, &c.

Enclosure in No 132

Report of U'OMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE

JOHN ANDERSON

ADVISABILITY OF

THE

CONSTITUTION OF AS EDUCATION BOARD The Report of the Select Committee of the Legislative Council on the Estimates for Singapore and Malacca for the year 1909 contained the following recommendation

In view of the serious increase of establishment and other charges annually recurrent in connection with education, the Unofficial Members recommend that the Government should now consider the necessity of creating a Board for the management of all education in the Colony,"

It was in consequence of that recommendation that your Committee was appointed to enquire as to the advisability and means of carrying out the views of the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council,

It appears that both in Jamaica and Ceylon such a Board exists.

In Jamaica the Board, which dates from 1892, consists of the Head of the Education Department as Chairman, and twelve other members who are engaged or interested in educational matters. Its duties are:

(a) To consider and advise upon any matters connected with the working of

public elementary schools in Jamaica, particularly:

(1) Any such matters as may from time to time be referred to it by the Governor :

(2) Any changes in the code that it may think desirable to be made or that may be referred to it by the Governor:

(3) Any changes that may be necessary for the working of com pulsory attendance when brought into force;

(4) The establishment of new schools, and the closing of, or with- drawal of, assistance from superfluous, unnecessary, or inefficient schools;

(5) Any changes in the Education Laws it may consider advisable to be made.

(b) To make and alter by-laws for the conduct of its business and the regula-

tion of its proceedings.

It also provided that when alterations are made in the code "all such alterations shall either have been recommended by the Board of Education or shall have been submitted to that Board for its consideration and advice.'

The Board has under its general control a Secondary School and a Manual Training School.

In Ceylon a Board of Education was, in 1896, constituted. It consists of eight members, and was framed to advise the Director on such questions connected with the working of the voluntary schools receiving aid from the Public Revenues as he might wish to take their advice upon. This Board, of which the Director is the Chairman, consists of one clerical representative for each of the three Christian denominations more largely engaged in educational work in the Colony, viz., the Church of England, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan. A lay member, representing

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the interests of the Buddhists, has also a seat at this Board. The Heads of the Royal and Technical Colleges, both Government institutions, and the Chief The Inspector of the Metropolitan Province are the official members of the Board. functions of this Board are purely advisory, and relate only to aided schools.

After a careful consideration your Committee are not prepared to recommend the creation of a Board to exercise such functions as are exercised by that in Jamaica They recognise that as education in the Colony and in the Federated Malay States are under one Head, there could hardly be such a Board for the Colony and not for the Federated Malay States, nor could there well be two separate Boards. If there were a Joint Board for the Colony and for the Federated Malay States the difficulties as to its meetings would seem to be very considerable.

They further recognise the difficulties attendant on the creation of such a Board in the absence of a leisured class, who, though interested in education, are not directly concerned in it.

But at the same time your Committee are of opinion that there would be considerable advantages in the creation of a Board who would advise the Govern- ment on, and assist in, the administration of all financial matters relating to education. The responsibility attaching to such a Board would ensure a more thorough consideration to educational expenditure than at present exists, and, it is hoped, would lay down a settled line of educational financial policy.

They accordingly recommend the constitution in the Colony of a Board to be called The Financial Board of Education." The constitution of the Board your Committee recommend to be as follows :-

The Director of Education as Chairman. The Colonial Treasurer.

Two Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council selected by the Singapore

Unofficial Members.

One Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council selected by the Penang

Unofficial Members.

The Solicitor-General.

The Collector of Land Revenue, Malacca.

The duties of the Board should be:-

(1) To determine the amount of fees to be charged in Government schools

and to receive all such fees;

purposes,

(2) To submit to Government the annual Estimates for educational

to make recommendations thereon, and to advise generally as to the purposes for which monies devoted to education should be expended; (3) To disburse the monies received as fees and also all other monies granted

by the Legislative Council for educational purposes.

Salaries of all educational officers should be paid by the Government and not by the Board.

All decisions of the Board should be subject to the control of the Government.

W. J. NAPIER,

6th April, 1909.

20705

Attorney-General,

Straite Settlements.

DAVID J. GALLOWAY.

THOS. S. Baker.

J. B. ELCUM,

No. 153.

Director of Education,

Straits Settlements and

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

Federated Malay States.

COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE

[Answered by No. 157.]

SIR.

Downing Street, 18th July, 1909. I AM directed by the Earl of Crewe to request that you will inform the Army Council that a proposal has recently been made to, and approved by, his

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