Sessional_Paper_1886-1887 — Page 343

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5. The expenses incurred by the Government, during the year 1886, on account of education in general, amounted (including the expenses connected with the Government Scholarship) to a total of $43,085.50 or $7.37 per head. The following details may be of interest. On the Central School with 610 scholars, the Government expended (apart from cost of buildings and repairs) the sum of $11,680.41 or $19.11 per head. The expenses of the other Government Schools, including the Aided Schools, amounted to $8,454.17 for 1,283 scholars or $6.59 per head. The Grant-in-Aid Schools with 3,951 scholars, cost the Government $14,324.76 or $3.62 per head. Further details will be found in Tables IV and XIII appended to this Report.

6. In addition to the above mentioned 5,844 scholars attending 90 Schools under Government supervision, there were, during the year 1886, according to a census taken by the District Watchmen, as many as 106 Schools (including also Night Schools) at work in town and villages, attended by 2,038 scholars. There were also about 180 scholars under instruction in 5 private European Schools. The total of scholars under instruction in Schools of all classes amounted, therefore, to 8,062 scholars distributed over 201 Schools. As the estimated population of the Colony now numbers about 181,702 souls, there were therefore 4.43 per cent. of the population enrolled in Schools of all classes. This does not favourably compare with the educational condition of England and Wales where 13 per cent. nor even with Ireland where 9 per cent. of the population attend School. But it is to be considered that we have here neither a Compulsory Education Act, nor any law providing adequate school accommodation in proportion to the population, and that a considerable proportion of the Chinese people residing in the Colony do not keep their families here but leave them on the mainland. Comparing the number of children of legal school-age (5-13 years) in England and Wales and in Ireland with the number actually in attendance, we find that in England and Wales somewhat over one half, and in Ireland less than one half, of those children who ought to attend school, actually come under instruction. Here in Hongkong we have no exact data to ascertain the number of children in the Colony who are of the local school-age (6-16 years). By a rough but rather high estimate (See Table XVI), I calculate that there were, during the year 1886, about 18,200 children in the Colony, who were from 6 to 16 years of age. Hence we see, as there were 8,062 children actually under instruction, that the pro- portion of children, who actually attend school, to those who are of the proper school-age, was in Hongkong, as in Ireland, somewhat less than one half. The difference, however, is this that in Ireland accommodation is provided in the National Schools for nearly the whole number of children of the legal school-age, whilst in Hongkong, the accommodation provided falls short of the requirements of actual attendance. All our Schools are overcrowded whilst there remain about 10,138 uneducated children unprovided for. I believe there would be no difficulty in inducing about one third or possibly even one half of that number to attend school by simply providing the requisite school accommodation (and teaching staff) at the expense of the Government, though the other half would probably continue to be kept from school by stress of poverty. The majority of those 10,138 children remaining uneducated are, I believe, Chinese girls, and one of the principal causes of their remaining uneducated, year by year, is the fact that the school accommodation hitherto provided by the Government Schools and Grant-in-Aid Schools is still far below the requirements of the case.

7. The proportion of girls to boys under instruction in the Schools of the Colony continues to improve from year to year slowly but steadily. That this gradual advance of female education in the Colony is entirely the result of the successful working of the Grant-in-Aid Scheme and under it due to the alacrity and continued energy with which the several Missionary Societies develop that Scheme, will be seen from the subjoined Comparative Table.

COMPARATIVE TABLE shewing the growth of GRANT-IN-AID SCHOOLS and GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS in relation to the proportion of boys and girls under instruction.

·

Grant-in-Aid Schools.

Government Schools (including Aided Schools.)

Year.

Number of Schools.

Number of Scholars.

Year.

Number of

Number of Scholars.

Boys.

Girls.. Total.

Schools. Boys. Girls. Total.

1873,

6

309

133

442

1873,

30

1,667

171

1,838

1874,

9

406

226

632

1874,

30 1,759

172

1,931

1875,

9

430

249

679

1875,

30

1,747

180

1,927

1876,

11

441

810

751

1876,

30

1,938

233

2,171

1877,

14

629

367

996

1877,

30

1,891

257

2,148

1878,

17

678

343 1,021

1878,

30

1,866

235

2,101

1879,

19

986

431

1,417

1879,...

31

1,864

179

2,043

1880,

27

1,247

561 1,808

1880,

36

1,940

138

2,078

1881,

37

1,498

739 2,237 1881,

35

1,866

120

1,986

1882,

41

1,937

1,131 3,068

1882,

39

2,001

110

2,114

1883,

48

2,157 1,360

3,517

1883,

39

1,963

117

2,080

1984,

55

2,373

1,534 3,907

1884,

35

1,865

113

1,978

1885,

55

2,455 1,586

4,041

1885,

35

1,874

114

1,803

1886,

56

2,370 1,581

3,951

1886,

34

1,791

102

1,893