CO129-538-2 Hong Kong University 23-6-1932 - 15-3-1933 — Page 233

7

3.

31855-1

330

handful in any one year sat for the special entrance examination now to be discontinued. The decision of the University to

require Matriculation instead of the special entrance would add a tenth year to the Vernacular Middle School course and it seemed unlikely that the numbers entering from this school for the modified matriculation would justify the extra staff

necessary for teaching the non-Chinese subjects. it is there- fore proposed to cater for these few candidates, if indeed any are forthcoming, by arranging for them to do part of their work in an "English" school in the same locality

While

This disposes of the tenth year students in the

Vernacular Middle School but a further question arises.

the attendance tapers off in the last three years of the

Vernacular Middle School course the classes in the first six years are usually full which indicates that there is a demand for the special form of education given in the school quite apart from any intention on the part of students to continue

their education at the University of Hong Kong.

But it is not clear whether the attendance in the

lower part of the school is due to the special quality of the Chinese taught or to the low fees or to the fact that the staff is better than that in any private vernacular school. In order to test the relative importance attached to these reasons the school is to be continued experimentally, at enhanced fees, in 1933 in order to see if the demand for it is based on the

quality of the Chinese taught or only on the comparative

.chea mess.

(3). The Special Committee further recommends that the Government of Hong Kong be asked to take such steps as will encourage the study of "Kwok Yu" in the educational institutions of the Colony Provision has accordingly been made in the 1933

Estimates for the introduction of lessons in "Kwok Yu" in

two Government normal institutions.

(Sd). G.P. de Martin.

Director of Education. 31.10.