33353-1913-Supplementary-Bills-read-a-first-time--New-Territories-Regulation-Amendment — Page 11

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Objects and Reasons,

The object of this Bill is to provide for some means of controlling and supervising to some extent certain of the Educational establishments which exist or may be brought into existence in the Colony. The scheme of this Bill is that every school shall be compulsorily brought within the knowledge of the Department of Education. The provisions of the Bill are not to apply in any way to Government schools, Military schools or any other schools which the Governor-in-Council may think fit to declare not to be included within the purview of the Bill. Under the scheme of this Bill, schools are to be divided into two main classes: firstly those of superior type which will only be subject to a very limited amount of supervision and control by the Education Department secondly schools of less superior type which will be subject to more close supervision and control by the Education Department.

Section 1 of the Bill is formal.

Section 2 defines the various special phrases which are used in the Bill in connection with its provisions.

Section 3 deals with those schools to which the Bill does not apply.

Section 4 provides for the appointment of the necessary officers for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the Bill.

Section 5 is important, providing as it does that every school with the exceptions referred to in Section 3 must be registered under the provisions of the Bill.

Section 6 provides the penalties which are necessary in order to enable the provisions of the Bill to be carried out effectively.

Sections 7, 8, 9 and 10 provide a simple method by which schools may obtain registration under the Bill.

Section 11 similarly provides the means by which a school of the superior type mentioned above may obtain a certificate which will give it the advantages of limitation of its supervision and control by the Department of Educa- tion.

Section 12 gives power to the Governor-In-Council to make regulations for the proper sanitation of, enforcement of discipline in, the prohibition of unsuitable books in, and the proper keeping of school registers in and other general matters relative to schools and under Section 13 any such regulations must be published in the Gazette.

Section 14 prescribes the inspection of registered schools and for the more limited supervision of exempted schools.

Section 15 gives a right of entry to schools at suitable hours for the principal officers of the Education Depart-

ment.

Sections 16 and 17 are important and provide for the steps which may be taken in the event of a school being found as a result of inspection by the Education Depart- ment not to be complying with regulations applicable or not being conducted satisfactorily and if the errors are not, after formal notice has been given for their rectifica- tion, duly amended, it is even possible for such school to be closed; similarly under Section 17 the carcer of un- necessary schools may after a suitable period be determined.

Section 18 provides for the keeping by the Registrar of a register of schools containing such particulars in conniec- tion therewith as may be necessary.

Section 19 gives an appeal from any decision of the Registrar to the Governor-in-Council.

By Section 20 power is reserved to the Governor-in- Council to put a stop to any school which is being conducted in a mammer prejudicial to the interests of the Colony, to the public or to its pupils.

By Section 21 the Chinese Vernacular Educational Board which was constituted on the 7th September, 1911, and the existence of which, after the passage of this Bill, will be no longer of utility is abolished.

JOHN A. BUCKNILL,

Attorney General.