CO129-527-19 Annual Education Report 1929 30-9-1930 - 16-2-1931 — Page 10

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female education.

-2-

They noted that, while 13% of the male

non-European population is attending school, the corresponding

percentage for females is only about 5. A separate chapter

or section on female eaucetion would, no doubt, reveal

difficulties in the way of female education, and the steps

that are being taken to remove them. Information about the

education of the rast Indian community would also be valuable,

and a reference somewhere in the heport to important problems

that are under discussion or investigation.

The Committee were interested by the reference to the

teaching of English in Aided Anglo-Chinese Schools, and by

the apparent policy of the Department that English classes

should be conducted entirely in English. This is not a

policy that would commend itself, probably, to the majority

of modern language teachers in this country. while there

is a growing feeling in favour of the Direct Method, it is

realised at the same time that a good deal of the explanation,

statement of rules, etc., must often be given in the mother

tongue of the pupil, if cleres. is to be ɔrtained. No

doubt there are local conditions in Hong Kong which have

suggested rather less elasticity in this matter than is

usually considered wise elsewhere. If you can find time, ve

should be interested to hear more from you on this subject,

as we are contemplating a further memorandum on the teaching of

WE

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