CO129-316 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [1-4] — Page 492

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7.

With reference to paragraphs 7, 8, and 9

of your Despatch, the recommendations of the Committee on

Education may I think be fairly stated as follows. For the

reasons stated in the last paragraph of their Report they

advocated that the limited pecuniary assistance which Govern-

ment is able to render should be devoted in much larger

measure to Anglo-Chinese than to Vernacular Schools. They re-

cognised that the existing Vernacular Schools could not be

disestablished. They proposed therefore to endeavour to improve

such of them as were capable of improvement and to utilise

them where possible as preparatory Schools for some of the

Anglo-Chinese Schools, but they apparently did not contemplate

assisting any new Vernacular Schools.

I agree in the view which you seem to hold that

Government assistance should not be withheld from Vernacular

Education, and after very careful consideration I am of opinion

that it will be better to keep the Vernacular Schools quite

distinct from the Anglo-Chinese Schools and not to provide

for the teaching of English in them. At the same time I

consider that every endeavour should be made to improve the

Vernacular Schools, especially in their method of teaching the

Chinese language. Chinese text-books by the use of which the

children may at the same time acquire some Western knowledge

should also be introduced in them.

The Committee have laid stress on the fact that it

is essential that students should have a good working knowledge

of their own language.

8.

The principle which should, therefore,

be laid down as those on which Educational work will be carried

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