CO129-549-19 Education Department- system and organisation 11-7-1934 - 6-12-1934 — Page 50

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Hong King

I. INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL NOTE.

(a)

The Colony of Hong Kong consists of the Island of that name, with an area of 284 square miles, ceded to Great Britain in 1841, of the Kowloon Peninsula, ceded in 1860, and of a certain further portion of the mainland, known as the New Territories, leased to Great Britain by the Government of China in 1898 for 99 years. The total area of the Colony is about 390 square miles.

Before 1841 the island was occupied by the inhabitants of a few fishing villages.

The Census taken in 1981 recorded a total population in the Colony of 849,751, of whom 821,429 were Chinese. It is estimated that in the middle of 1988 this total had risen to 922,648, though since then, owing to the economic depression, the increase may have disappeared. The figure last mentioned includes 368,739 Chinese in the City of Victoria and 286,896 Chinese in the towns of Kowloon and New Kowloon. In other words, well over two- thirds of the Colony's population is urban.

The importance of Hong Kong has grown with the increase of China's trade with foreign countries. It is now in respect of tonnage entered and cleared one of the largest ports in the world. It is the most convenient outlet for the produce of South China

and the natural distributing centre for imports into China from abroad. The Colony is not primarily a manufacturing centre, the most important of its industries being those connected directly or indirectly with shipping, such as dock and warehouse, banking and insurance undertakings. Sugar refining and cement manufacture are also major industries, and in recent years considerable quantities of knitted goods, electric torches and batteries, and rubber shoes have been produced and exported.'

The following occupational figures are taken from the 1981 Census :-Fishermen 5 per cent.; Agriculture 9.4 per cent.; Transport 18 per cent.; Personal Service 17 per cent. (49,000 males-28,000 females); Clerks, Typists, and Draughtsmen 5.9 per cent.; Textiles and Clothing 3.9 per cent.; Workers in Wood and Furniture 4.3 per cent.; Commerce, Finance, and Insurance 12.9 per cent.

Adding the clerks, typists, etc., to those engaged in commerce, finance, and insurance, we have a total of 18.8 per cent. in "white-collar occupations," not including a further small percentage employed in public administration. The percentage for males only is 24.7 instead of 18.8. The Census also showed that one-third of the Chinese population had lived not more than five years in the Colony.

(b)

A short summary of the history of education in the Colony may help the reader to under- stand the rest of this Report. The following is taken from The Educational System of Hongkong," a pamphlet written by the Director of Education in 1914 and published by the Government printers :-

"Not from the first day of its cession could Hong Kong complain that its Educational religious and educational wants were unheeded. During the Governorship of Sir H. history

IX Pottinger (1841-1844) the Church of England and the Roman Catholics and Non- 1841-1859.

First period, conformists were already at work. The Morrison School was founded by the late Rev. Dr. J. Legge, subsequently famous throughout China for his edition of the Classics, and late professor of Chinese at Oxford.

At about the same time the Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. V. Stanton, founded St. Paul's College as a training College for native clergy. It still exists after various vicissitudes as a Secondary School for boys.

It is interesting to note how frankly in these carly days the Government accepted the part of proselytiser. At about this time a small Grant of $5 a month was given to ten small schools, and a Committee of Education formed to control it. To the Bishop of Victoria, the Chairman, wrote Sir John Davis, the Governor, If these schools were eventually placed in the hands of native Christian teachers bred up by the Protestant missionaries, it would afford the most rational prospect of converting the native population of the Island.' And during his administration (1844-1848) this policy was steadily pursued.

*Quoted from the Annual Report on the Social and Economic Progress of the People of the Colony of Hong Kong during the Year 1933. (Government Printers, Hong Kong.)

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