CO129-530-2 Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies- Hong Kong education report 1930 23-12-1930 - 12-10-1931 — Page 16

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corresponding classes in Queen's College and King's College, there is an annual examination for entrance to Class 3 in one or other of the two senior schools.

Gap Road, Tai Po, Un Long and Cheung Chau schools are "Lower Grade" schools with classes 8 to 6. Gap Road boys usually go on to Wantsai School and those Tai Po boys who continue usually do so at Yaumati School.

The attendance at these schools is ordinarily good, but the Head Master of Queen's College found it necessary at the ammual prize-giving to warn purents of the harm done by with- drawing boys temporarily for trivial reasons.

During the year the syllabus of the District Schools, which is the same for the Remove and Lower classes at Queen's College and King's College, was revised by a Departmental Committee consisting of the Inspector of English Schools and the six head masters concerned. It was to come into force in January, 1931, and will reduce the number of new subjects to be encountered in Class 3.

A revision of the Vernacular syllabus in English schools was under consideration but as this had not been completed at the end of the year it does not fall within the scope of this report.

Vernacular Schools:-There was an increase in numbers at the Vernacular Middle School: two new masters joined the staff; two new classrooms were added, unfortunately restricting the already insufficient playing area attached to this school. The attendance in the Higher Primary, Normal and Middle School classes were respectively 125, 30 and 68.

The examiners at the final Normal examination report that work in general has improved "though, there is still room for improvement in the syllabus of Chinese Classics and Litera- ture".

Numbers at the Vernacular Normal School for Women showed a slight increase.

The results at the final Normal examination were dis- appointing. Premature promotion must be avoided,

The Normal school for rural teachers at Tai Po suffers from poor material,

Technical Institute:-The number on the roll was 798 an increase of 200 on the previous year. The numbers attending the Vernacular and English Teachers' classes were respectively 223 and 53. These classes are a not unsuccessful attempt to

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women

provide assistance and encouragement for men and teachers who have to teach in the daytime and attend these classes with the praiseworthy object of improving themselves and the quality of their teaching.

The annual examination conducted by outside examiners is exacting. In the final year in the Men's Vernacular Classes, of seven candidates none were considered good enough to pass, though one got over 50% of the maximum and all but one more than 34%. In the second year, of nine men sitting for the terminal examination, four only were allowed to pass on to the Third Year Class. In the two First Year divisions for men only one out of 36 was allowed promotion and six of the failures were advised not to continue in the classes.

Of the Third Year Women 3 passed out of 9: in the Second Year four out of fourteen and in the First Year 10 out of 38 were allowed to go on, while 16 out of 41 in the Preparatory Divisions gained promotion.

The pass mark is high and, of the 114 candidates who failed, 40 gained 50% and 66 34% of the possible maximum of marks.

Of 46 English teachers sitting for First, Second and Third Year examinations 39 passed, two of them with distinction.

Details of other classes will be found in Chapter V.

It is clear from the attendance and the increasing numbers on roll that the Technical Institute is supplying a demand on the part of adult persons who are occupied in the daytime.

AIDED SCHOOLS.

There were 911 girls in attendance at the four Vernacular Grant Schools.

There were 4.826 boys and girls in attendance at the twelve English Schools.

Code Article 21 requires a school to have met 370 times in the year in order to qualify for a grant. This condition will be rigorously observed in future and I do not propose to re- commend for a full grant any school which has less than the required number of meetings.

St. Joseph's Junior School and St. Francis' School continue without secondary departments. It is unfortunate that there are difficulties in the way of extending the system of "feeder" schools. It makes for economy and facilitates concentration of staff and equipment.

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