CO129-534-3 Report of Retrenchment Commission 4-5-1931 - 19-2-1932 — Page 137

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instruction therein.

6.

In view of the fact that they are cheaper

to run than those schools entirely maintained by the Government

the suggestion has been made to the Commissioners that the

Government should increase its financial assistance to these

schools rather than develop its own schools. The need of the

present is for curtailment of expenditure; but although the

Commissioners consider that, when the Colony's finances improve,

the Grant in Aid Schools should receive increased financial

aid to permit of further development, they maintain that the

Government should retain its own schools, and should endeavour

to make them models by which the standard of non Government

schools should be judged. It can readily be understood that

the difference in expenditure between Government and Grant in

Aid Schools is largely accounted for by the differences in the

method of recruitment of staff and the conditions of service,

In place however of the existing graduated Capitation Grant it

is recommended that a flat rate of $30 per head be paid. Io

continue payment of larger grants, in respe ct of the senior

classes, would be to place non Government secondary schools

in an unduly favourable position, vis-a-vis the corresponding

Goverment schools with their greatly increased fees.

11.

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS, EXAMINATIONS GRANTS AND FEES.

The Commissioners find that in all those schools,

whether Government or non-Government, where secondary education

is provided, the pupils are entered for the Hong Kong University

Junior Local, Senior Looal, and Matriculation Examinations. The

University fee for each candidate is $12 for the Junion Local,

and $20 each for the Senior Local and Matriculation examinations.

The Government pays these entrance fees for all candidates

from Government and all candidates from Grant-in-Aid Schools;

this being in addition to the Local Examinations Grants