CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 127

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EDUCATION POLICY

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The 1947/48 Report on Education stated that there still remained a good bit to be done in the matter of

rehabilitation of buildings but that it was hoped during 1947 to rebuild three Government schools and to add six classrooms to another school during that year. Education in Hong Kong is voluntary and in the hands of (a) the Government, (b) missionary bodies, and (c) private individuals. All schools are required to register and conform to education. regulations. To introduce compulsory education would be at the present time impossible, I think, since sufficient school buildings simply do not exist for the normal child population of the Colony, quite apart from its largely increased child population at the present time. The chapter in the 1948 Annual Report on Education gives a valuable picture of the education services in Hong Kong. On page 68 it states that "it has not been possible to give priority in the heavy reconstruction programme to the restoration of Government schools destroyed in the war", but the Report emphasises that "the most marked progress has been in the sphere of primary education, where Government schools now cater for more than twice as many pupils as in 1941". As regards the education of children of the fishing community, the number of schools has been increased from four to ten, of which five are subsidised by the Government, and a rural training college was established in 1946 to provide teaching staff for rural schools. The revival of secondary education has, however been slower, but it may be noted that expenditure on education in 1948 was $13,500,000, nearly $4,000,000 greater than in 1947.

All this, I think, points to very keen anxiety on the part of the Hong Kong Government to expand the education service in the face of very real difficulties which it is experiencing in the restoration of existing buildings, the provision of new school buildings and, by no means the least important, the training of the necessary staff, at a time when every effort is being made by the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate into the Colony's schools, an effort which has led to the closing down of certain privately-owned schools known to have come under Communist control.

So far as the University of Hong Kong is concerned,

a difficult situation has arisen over the question of finance and the finalising of reconstruction plans has awaited a decision on this important matter. Briefly, the position is that the Government of Hong Kong have made available a grant of £250,000 and have increased their annual grant to the University from $455,000 to $1,500,000 per annum to meet the inflated running expenses due to salary increases, and other increased post-war costs of every kind. Sir Robert HoTung has given $1,000,000 for a women's hostel, and H.M. Treasury has promised a grant of £250,000. In the meantime the Government of Hong Kong has sought a grant of a further £250,000 from the Colonial Development and Welfare Central Education Fund, and until it knows whether it is going to receive this, the University is wing to reach important decisions on future planning, including the use of the special grants from the Hong Kong Government and from the Treasury. If it does not receive this grant from the C.D. and W. Central Education Fund, then its plans will have to be radically reca st. The Inter-University Council, the appropriate body to advise on the desirability of such a grant from the Central Fund, will not, for reasons beyond the control of this Department, be able to send a delegation to

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