On August 1st, 1913, the important and far-reaching Education Ordinance was passed: "An Ordinance to provide for the registration and supervision of certain schools." It defined a school as "a place where ten or more persons are being, or are habitually taught, whether in one or in more classes", and empowered the Director of Education to register all schools other than Government and Military schools and such others as the Governor-in-Council may direct. Thus the children in private schools both in Hong Kong and the New Territories now for the first time came under Government supervision. The State registration of schools had been discussed at home for some time but this is the first occasion on which it received the sanction of the legislature in any part of the Empire.
As a result of this ordinance a comprehensive census of schools and teachers in the New Territories was carried out in 1914, and changes in the Grant Code were introduced. Upper classes of English schools were encouraged by Grants to take the Matriculation and Junior Local Examinations of the Hong Kong University. This encouragement took the novel form of a Capitation Grant for each pupil presented for these examinations whether he or she passed or not. This was done to prevent the cramming of promising pupils.
During the war years (1914-1918) a gradual expansion of the Educational system took place and in 1918 the average attendance had risen to 8,962 in English schools and 16,582 in Chinese schools. The Ellis Kadoorie School, previously a Grant school, was in 1915 handed over to the Government and began its existence as a District school from which boys passed to the upper school in Queen's College, and in 1916 a new Ellis Kadoorie School for Indians was opened by the Governor, Sir Henry May.
In 1917 H.E. the Governor appointed a Committee "to enquire into the teaching of the English language to Chinese boys in Government schools and to enquire into the question of reducing the number of other subjects taught so as to enable more time to be devoted to such teaching." The report of the committee was published in August of that year and suggested among other things, smaller classes in better buildings with better-paid teachers. It also advocated medical inspection of all pupils and a few small modifications of the curriculum. It did not recommend any changes in the then-existing arrangement for the teaching of English.
Early in the year 1920 a Board of Education, consisting of the Director of Education, Senior Inspectors of English and Vernacular schools and nine members nominated by Government, was established "for the purpose of assisting the Director of Education in matters pertaining to the development and improvement of education in the Colony", and in 1923 its powers were extended so as to enable members of the Board to visit, without notice, any Grant school when accompanied by the Director of Education.
The demand for a new school for British children, not old enough to attend the Central British School (late Kowloon British School), was partially met by the opening of a new school at Quarry Bay in 1926 and the same year saw the district school at Saiyingpun blossom out into King's College in Bonham Road. The new King's College is housed in a magnificent building and serves to relieve the pressure on Queen's College. Unfortunately, the new school was taken over by the military authorities during 1927 so that it did not begin its intended career until later in that year.
During 1927 a committee was set up by the Board of Education to consider the raising of school fees. Its report was finally accepted by Government and a slight increase in fees in Government schools came into operation.
Education in general throughout the Colony received a great help in 1928 when Mr. Woo Hay Tong presented a large sum of money, the interest from which provided Woo Hay Tong Scholarships in all Government schools and made a substantial provision for similar scholarships in other schools, St. Joseph's College, the Diocesan Boys' School and Diocesan Girls' School.
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On August 1st, 1913, the important and far reaching Education Ordinance was passed:"An Ordinance to provide for the registration and supervision of certain schools." It defined a school as "a place where ten or more persons are being, or are habitually taught, whether in one or in more classes'', and empowered the Director of Education to register all schools other than Government and Military schools and such others as the Governor-in-Council may direct. Thus the children in private schools both in Hong Kong and the New Territories now for the first time came under Government supervision. The State registration of schools had been discussed at home for some time but this is the first occasion on which it received the sanction of the legislature in any part of the Empire.
As a result of this ordinance a comprehensive census of schools and teachers in the New Territories was carried out in 1914, and changes in the Grant Code were introduced. Upper classes of English schools were encouraged by Grants to take the Matriculation and Junior Local Examinations of the Hong Kong University. This encouragement took the novel form of a Capitation Grant for each pupil presented for these examinations whether he or she passed or not. This was done to prevent the cramming of promising pupils.
Guring
During the war years (1914-1918) a gradual expansion of the Educational system took place and in 1918 the average attendance had risen to 8,962 in English schools and 16,582 in Chinese schools. The Ellis Kadoorie School, previously a Grant school, was in 1915 handed over to the Government and began its existence as a District school from which boys passed to the upper school in Queen's College, and in 1916 a new Ellis Kadoorie School for Indians was opened by the Governor, Sir Henry May.)
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In 1917 H. E. the Governor appointed a Committee "to enquire into the teaching of the English language to Chinese boys in Government schools and to enquire into the question of reducing the number of other subjects taught so as to enable more time to be devoted to such teaching. The report of the committee was published in August of that year and suggested among other things, smaller classes in better buildings with better paid teachers. It also advocated medical inspection of all pupils and a few small modifications of the curriculum. It did not recommend any changes in the then existing arrangement for the teaching of English.
Early in the year 1920 a Board of Education, consisting of the Director of Education; Senior Inspectors of English and Vernacular schools and nine members nominated by Government, was established "for the purpose of assisting the Director of Education in matters pertaining to the development and improvement of education in the Colony", and in 1923 its powers were extended so as to enable members of the Board to visit, without notice, any Grant school when accompanied by the Director of Education.
The demand for a new school for British children, not old enough to attend the Central British School (late Kowloon British School), was partially met by the opening of a new school at Quarry Bay in 1926 and the same year saw the district school at Saiyingpun blossom out into King's College in Bonham Road. The new King's College is housed in a magnificent building and serves to relieve the pressure on Queen's College. Unfortunately the new school was taken over by the military authorities during 1927 so that it did not begin its intended career until later in that
year.
During 1927 a committee was set up by the Board of Education to consider the raising of school fees. Its report was finally accepted by Government and a slight increase in fees in Government schools came into operation.
Education in general throughout the Colony received a great help in 1928 when Mr. Woo Hay Tong presented a large sum of money, the interest from which provided Woo Hay Tong Scholarships in all Government schools and made a substantial provision for similar scholarships in other schools, St. Joseph's College, the Diocesan Boys' School and Diocesan Girls' School.
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