CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7] — Page 123

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benefits which they now seek in attending the school by prohibitive legislation of the kind suggested.

It is with curious inconsistency that this same proposal is not made to apply to the Government Belilios Girls' School. The proposal that it should be compulsory to secure the services of English masters for all the "Anglo-Chinese Grant Schools" could not be carried out, and would lead to most of these schools being closed, to, I believe, the serious injury to Education in the Colony, especially amongst the poorer classes of Chinese, many of whom could not afford to pay the fees which it is proposed to charge in the Government Anglo-Chinese Schools.

(3)

My own opinion is that instead of attempting what the draft Report rightly terms "drastic reforms," and laying down impracticable regulations for Grant Schools, gradual reform should be aimed at by such alteration of the Code for Grant Schools, as may secure, as far as possible, for the Chinese (a) the attainment of a knowledge both of the English and Chinese languages, and (b) the teaching of Western knowledge, in English to those who have, in Chinese to those who have not, a really good knowledge of the English language.

The Code should however be drawn up with a full appreciation of the immense difficulty experienced all through China of imparting a sound knowledge of both languages. And it should in my opinion be drawn up in consultation with experienced teachers and managers of schools, who with

3.