CO129-567-1 Education Department 8-6-1938 - 3-2-1939 — Page 69

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5. Though no systematic course in 'civics' exists, matters of

this nature are dealt with by regular instruction through object lessons

and talks on such subjects as Safety-First.

Geography and History are

of course regular school subjects, and the teaching is devised on a

graded plan suitable to the needs of Chinese children.

6. As regards the question of compelling non-Chinese masters

and mistresses to study Chinese, encouragement is given to such study

at present by a system of language study allowances and the award of

a bonus to those who successfully complete the course. At present of

a British permanent staff of about seventy two have completed the full

course for a bonus in Cantonese and obtained the necessary four certi-

ficates; seven have taken either one, two or three certificates, of

whom one is studying for the third certificate and the remainder have

given up their study; and three beginners are now studying for the first

certificate. In addition one teacher has one and another teacher has

two certificates in Cantonese awarded by the local Chamber of Commerce.

But it is to be remembered that a considerable section of the staff is

engaged in teaching European children only. Of 120 European teachers

in eighteen Grant-in-aid schools, thirty-four claim to have a working

knowledge of Cantonese: presumably a majority of the remainder have

some knowledge of the language. I referred this question also to the

Board of Education, and was informed that the Board had replied that

in their view the acquisition of a colloquial knowledge of Chinese

should be made compulsory on all European Teachers of the Education

Department in future. I concur in principle with the Board's view, but

I am not ready to take action on it at the moment. The subject of the

training of local teachers, with which is bound up to some extent that

of the right numerical proportion of British to Chinese teachers in the

Provided and Aided Schools, is at present under examination and I should

prefer to reach my conclusions on those issues before proceeding further

with the question of compulsory study of Cantonese colloquial.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

G. A. S. NORTHCOTE

Governor.

H