CO129-294 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [10-12] — Page 569

Enclosure 2.

Are

1831 566

(Approved by the S. of S. in desp. N. 185 of 27 the June, 1893)

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 310.

NEW CODE OF REGULATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL GRANTS-IN-AID. 1893.

Notice is hereby given to Managers of Schools that the New Code of Regulations for Educational Grants-in-Aid, as published below, has been approved by the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the 27th of June last, to come into force six months after date of this Notification.

By Command,

G. T. M. O'BRIEN,

Colonial Secretary,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 19th August, 1893.

NEW CODE OF REGULATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL GRANTS-IN-AID.

1893.

For the better promotion of Education in the Colony, the Government of Hongkong is prepared to assist schools on the system of grants-in-aid, subject to the following conditions :-

1. Before any grant can be made to a school, the Government must be satisfied that --

(a) The school is conducted as a public school.

(b) The school is not carried on with a view to private emolument but is under the direction of a manager personally deriving from it no pecuniary advantage whatever.

(c) The school premises are healthy, well lighted, drained and ventilated, properly furnished, and contain sufficient internal space for the average attendance.

(d) The master is competent.

(e) The time devoted to instruction in the subjects of the standards is at least four (not necessarily consecutive) hours daily.

(f) The admission and daily attendance of the scholars are carefully registered by or under the supervision of the principal teacher and periodically verified by the manager; also proper discipline is maintained.

(g) The organisation is good, and the work conducted in accordance with a proper time-table.

2. The Government will not interfere in any way with-

(a) The religious instruction of a school.

(b) The hours for such instruction,

(c) The appointment of a teacher, provided he is competent.

(d) The school books, provided they are sufficient, as regards the instruction which they contain, for the purposes of the standards hereafter to be referred to.

(e) The style of handwriting, but a bold round hand is recommended for European writing.

(f) The stipulations of this code, without six months' previous notice in the Gazette.

3. Grants will be subject to a cumulative reduction of five per cent. on the whole sum gained by a school, in each case where the Inspector reports defects in-

(a) The teaching.

(b) The accommodation.

(c) The keeping of the school roll.

(d) The organisation.

(e) The discipline.

(f) The books and apparatus.

Regard in all these cases will be had to circumstances.

4. A school receiving a grant must be-

(a) Located where there is a sufficient population requiring a school, and not be removed elsewhere without previous approval of the Government.

(b) Open at all times to Government inspection.

(c) Represented by a pecuniarily disinterested manager, distinct from the paid teacher, who will periodically verify the school roll, conduct all correspondence with the Government, sign the receipt for the grant, and furnish all returns which the Government may require.

5. In the case of Chinese schools not under European supervision, the Inspector will be manager ex-officio if necessary.

6. The Government will not bind itself to give grants to all schools claiming thereunder under the foregoing conditions, but will be guided by the circumstances of each case, and by the amount of money at its disposal for educational purposes. In all cases where a grant is refused, the reasons for refusal will be given.