CO129-567-12 Hong Kong University 24-1-1938 - 24-1-1938 — Page 186

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Report.

64. The Arts Faculty Department of Edu- cation as at present run seems to us to be a very expensive method of turning out a few qualified teachers, and a scrutiny of the time-tables con- cerned only confirms that view. We refrain from further comment except to say (a) that here even more than with the rest of the Faculty the need of close liaison with the Government Education Department is necessary if only because the Government provides the cost of the training of many of the students concerned; (b) that this Department seems to us to be much too self-con- tained and too independent of the rest of the Faculty; and (c) that a Professor of Education is wholly unnecessary once the subject-groups are settled and that an efficient Master of Method available for practical training is all that is required.

65. The Chinese School seems to us to have promise of a vigorous future under its able Pro- fessor.

If the approach were properly made (for the help of Chinese sympathisers) we feel sure that the sympathy of the Chinese, who alone are concerned, could be enlisted for this

purpose.

Resolutions of Senate and Faculties.

(a) The Senate would point out that the Department of Education can hardly be con- sidered an expensive method of training quali- fied teachers, when it is remembered that the generally recognized alternative means of train- ing graduate teachers would be the creation of a separate Training College and that the cost to the University of training teachers is not greater than the cost of training other graduates in the Faculty of Arts.

(b) The Senate is of the opinion that the Professor of Education has worked hard to create "liason

with the Government Education De- partment, although the number of Education Students provided with Government Scholarships is a steadily diminishing fraction [less than half] of the total numbers in the Groups of Studies designed for the training of teachers.

(c) The Senate is of the opinion that, in view of the responsibility and supervision entail- ed in the combination of a degree course with teachers' training, the post of Professor of Educa- tion is necessary.

The Senate notes with satisfaction and wishes to endorse the sentiments here expressed by the Committee, as those are in accordance with the attitude held by the Senate towards Chinese studies.

Resolutions of Council.

Lecturerships or Readerships as the circumstances in each case may dictate.

Resolved:--

(1) that the Council is aware that present provision for the training of teachers by the University is unsatisfactory in that there is not sufficient time allowed in the present organisation of the course for adequate training of either theory or practice of teaching.

(2) that the Council welcomes the appoint- ment by His Excellency the Governor of a Com- mittee to make proposals for the better recruit- ment of teachers and for the training of teachers for work in the Colony.

Report.

69. After careful consideration we have come to the conclusion that the scale of salaries recommended in the Gollan Report of 1929 was needlessly high.

Resolutions of Senate and Faculties.

The Senate resolved:-

(a) That it does not agree with the Com- mittee's conclusion that the scale of salaries recommended in the Gollan Report of 1929 was needlessly high.

(b) That it should be remembered, in assess- ing the adequacy of the Gollan scales, that the Same Commission which recommended these scales also recommended, with the same back- ground of local conditions, scales now in force for Government officers.

(e) That, whereas in dismissing, as needless- iy high, the salaries recommended in the Gollan Report of 1929, the committee considered (1) cost of living in Hong Kong, (2) standard of living which it is desirable for a University staff to maintain, and (3) problems of recruiting; nevertheless there is another factor specially in- dicated in the Gollan Report which should also be considered: namely, as stated in that Report, The University must offer not only a salary which will enable a member of the teaching staff to live in reasonable comfort, but also the prospect of an adequate income on retirement ".

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(d) That the proposals put forward in para- graph 74 of the Report by the University Com- mittee (1937) fall very short of meeting these requirements, especially as regards provision for retirement in the case of members of the staff who joined before 1930.

(e) That the present superannuation scheme, even if supplemented by savings, which in the existing circumstances are difficult to effect, does

Resolutions of Council.

Resolved that the Council would favour an experiment towards recruiting professors and lec- turers for appointments hereafter to be filled on the following scales:

Professors

Readers

Lecturers

Junior Lecturer in Eng- lish (three year ap- pointments)

£1,000-25-£1,250 £700-25-£1,000

£ 550-25-£ 850

£ 500-20-£ 540

provided that the Provident Fund provision be amended so that a man recruited at about 30 to a professorship might retire at the age of 55 with a sum of not less than £10,000 to his credit in the Provident Fund.

In connexion with the above basic salary scales the question was raised whether there would be any elasticity in their application. The meet- ing was in general agreement with the position that if a man of exceptional qualification or ex- perience should offer for a vacancy he might be recruited on a salary commencing at some point in the approved scale above the commencing salary, but that his salary should not ultimately exceed that of the maximum on the approved scale.

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