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VI.—SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
It has already been stated in this Report that the Government and Grant-in-Aid schools,
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in which alone a system of education can be found, work on a bi-lingual plan. This is the so- called pari passu
system, and is intended to ensure satisfactory progress being made by all pupils in both Chinese and English.
There seems serious reason to doubt whether this object is in fact attained. Without doubt many pupils leave the schools with something less than a really good knowledge of English, particularly as regards their ability to speak it and to understand it when spoken to them. There is also some doubt whether, in many instances, their knowledge of Chinese can be regarded as satisfactory. The writer was unable to form any opinion on this matter by direct personal investigation; it is to be regretted that his ignorance of Chinese is shared by most of the Head Teachers. In fact, it is believed that no British Head Teacher in a Govern- ment school would claim more than a slight knowledge of that language. This means of course that the pupil's progress in Chinese can only be assessed by the Chinese staff. These teachers are under a very great temptation to report that progress as satisfactory, whether in truth it is BO or not. It is no disparagement of them as a body to remark that when a number of human beings are subjected to great temptation, some of them usually succumb. It is also important to note that the demand for English in the schools springs from quite different motives from the demand for Chinese. The former demand comes from parents and pupils, and the motive is utilitarian and vocational. The latter demand comes, or came, from educationists in the Colony, both English and Chinese, and is justified by the argument that any education is culturally inadequate which does not give the pupil a good knowledge of his native language and at least some acquaintance with its literature. Regrettably, perhaps, this argument appears to carry little weight with parents and pupils. Evidence is overwhelming that English is studied with far more zeal than Chinese.
It is not necessary here to argue the general claims of vocation against those of culture in education. The opposition between the two is to some extent artificial. The writer of this Report is content to submit, as the basis of the recommendations which follow, the proposition that where attendance at schools is voluntary, the wishes of parents and pupils regarding the curriculum of the schools must carry great weight. In Malaya the language problem is solved, for the large Chinese population in Singapore and other towns, in summary fashion. English is the medium of instruction for all subjects, and Chinese is taught, if at all, as the second language. The justification offered is that the pupils come from all parts of China and speak many different forms of Chinese.
It is not suggested that this solution should be adopted in Hong Kong among other objections to it there is the fear, expressed to the writer by certain educationists in Malaya, that the pupils learn no language well enough to think easily in it.
It is recommended (a) that the teaching of English in the schools of Hong Kong should be reformed on a frankly utilitarian basis, i.e., that the pupils should be taught to understand, speak, read, and write such and so much English as they are likely to need for their subsequent careers, and no more. This means that for most of them at any rate no time would be given to the study of English literature, except for such examples of modern English prose as may be needed to serve as models.
[A much simplified vocabulary and grammar, such as are provided in, for example, Basic English, would suffice.]
This should set free a certain amount of time. It will have to be very carefully considered (b) whether that time should be given in part or wholly to further instruction in the Chinese language or through the medium of that language, (c) how much instruction should be given, to pupils who are believed for the most part not to want it, in the Chinese classics, and
(d) whether the Chinese medium of instruction should be Cantonese, as at present, or Kwok Yu, which, it is understood, the Government of China wishes to establish as the universal spoken language throughout China.
These are questions which a visitor to the Colony, ignorant of Chinese, cannot be expected to settle. He can only suggest that educational policy in the Colony should be gradually re-orientated so as eventually to secure for the pupils, first, a command of their own language sufficient for all needs of thought and expression, and secondly, a command of English limited to the satisfaction of vocational demands.
Other recommendations made in the course of this Report are here summarised for convenient reference :-
(1) That the School Certificate Examination should be taken a year or ΕΝΟ earlier than at present, so that more of the pupils may sit for it [Chapter II (4)].
(2) That the course leading up to that Examination should be planned as something complete in itself, and not chiefly as a stage on the way to Matriculation [Chapter II (3) and (4)].
(3) That the syllabus should be simplified so as to bring success in the Examination
within the compass of the average pupil.
(4) That adequate allowance should be made in Time-Tables for Physical Training, which should take place regularly, preferably daily for all pupils and that time should also be allowed for any other activities, such as music, the inclusion of which may seem desirable [Chapters II (4) and IV].
(5) That eventually the inclusion of adequate Physical Training in the Time-Table should be compulsory in all Government Schools, and a condition for the payment of Grant in Grant-Aided Schools. [Chapter IV!
(6) That the necessary arrangements should be made for securing teachers competent
to instruct in Physical Training [Chapter IV].
(7) That there should be a Health Code for private schools, with a time-limit for
compliance [Chapter IV].
(8) That the Government should without avoidable delay build model primary schools where most needed in the urban areas [Chapters I, II (8), and IV], and recruit and train the teachers required [Chapter V].
(9) That the curriculum at the Un Long and Cheung Chau Government schools should be better related to the needs of most of the pupils [Chapter II (8)]. It would also be well that these schools should be made free.
2 (10) That in the selection of teachers, both British and Chinese, due weight should be
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given to proved zeal and merit [Chapter V].
(11) That there should be a scheme of dental treatment in Government and Grant-
Aided schools [Chapter IV.]
(12) That the methods of selection now practised among candidates for admission to
Government schools should be reviewed [Chapter I (8)].
(18) That in the British Schools staffing should be reviewed with an eye to possible economies, and that the amount of fees charged should also be reviewed with a possible increase in mind [Chapter II (7)].
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