193
238,724 souls. On the basis of the census returns of 1891, I calculate that the foregoing estimate of the population includes 31,034 children of local school-age (6 to 16 years), or 13 per cent., and that of this number, about 47 per cent., or 14,151 scholars are girls and 53 per cent., or 15,748 scholars are boys. Now, as the number of scholars under instruction in local Schools (soldiers' children excepted) amounted to 12,123, it is safe to estimate the number of those children of local school-age, who did not attend any School in 1893, to amount to 18,911. But a large proportion of these children, numbering probably more than one-half, though under 16 years of age and not attending School in 1893, may be assumed to have been previously under instruction for several years. It would be incorrect, therefore, to put down all those 18,911 children as having remained altogether untouched by educational influences.
All I can say about them is, that some of them no doubt remain entirely uneducated, that others received but an imperfect education, but that a considerable proportion of them received from two to three years' schooling in the Chinese classics such as is in China considered ample provision for a working man's education. Considering that it has been stated, on good authority, that in England, in spite of compulsory school-attendance laws, barely one half
of the children of school-going age attend School, the school-attendance of Hongkong is, in the absence of any compulsion, by no means discouraging, though it is not what it ought to be. I have stated in former reports that servant-girls in town and the girls of the boat-population are the principal classes of children kept out of School. I have been informed by a Committee of School-teachers as well as by the School Attendance Officer, that of late years the number of children attending no School has been greatly swelled by an Army of boys from 8 to 14 years of age, employed either as hawkers of fruit, sweet-meats, cigarettes and matches, or as watchmen for unlicensed adult hawkers to whom they signal the movement of Police Constables. But the fear was expressed at the same time, that if the Government were to interfere with the former class of boys, it would only give increased employment to the latter class. School Attendance Officer reports that these boys are mostly recruited from the Saiyingpun District and that the vast majority of them are the children of Tungkoon people, noted for their disorderly character. As regards the boat population, some improvement in school-attendance appears to have taken place in 1893, but much of this recorded progress may be due only to improved methods of collecting statistics. I append a Table showing the provision which exists for the education of children of the boat population in those centres where these people specially congregate. It is hardly necessary to add that all other public Schools in the Colony are equally open to them.
Schools specially available for the Boat population.
The
Government,
Grant-in-Aid.
Kaifong.
Total.
Schools. Scholars.
Schools. Scholars. Schools.
Scholars.
Schools.
Scholars.
Shaukiwan, Hunghom,
4
218
11
151
15
369
3
149
Yaumati,
53
3
215
Mongkoktsui,
41
Taikoktsui,
1
Shamshuipou,
1
Aberdeen,
Aplichau,
Total,
1
892
59
05 10 00 Ci
5
47
8
196
3
93
7
361
84
3
75
30
4
89
49
49
21
1
8
2
29
1
46
3
72
4
118
3
140
13
711
28
435
44
1,286
11. RESULTS OF THE ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS.-As far as the 102 Grant-in-Aid Schools are concerned, the detailed results of the annual examination of these Schools will be found summarized in Table XIV appended to this report, where the percentage of scholars passed in each School in 1893 is started and compared with the results of the preceding year, and in Table XV which records the percentage of passes gained by these Schools in each subject. As regards the 24 Departmental Govern- ment Schools, Tables III to X supply the most important particulars. I subjoin however a few additional observations with regard to these several Schools.
12. VICTORIA COLLEGE.-Some time ago I presented a detailed report on the condition of this School in the year 1893. This report is still under the consideration of the Government. The Headmaster's separate report for the year 1893 has lately been published in the Government Gazette. In future years this School will be referred to under the name of Queen's College.
13. GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.-In addition to the statements contained in the report of the Headmistress, which will be found appended below, I am happy to state that the annual examination of this Institution has furnished abundant evidence to show that the School is making steady progress in every respect and continues satisfactorily to supply a felt want of the community. The inconvenient and insufficient accommodation which has hitherto restrained the development of this School, has been rectified at the close of the year by the opening of the new building erected by the Honourable E. R. BELILIOS on the site of the former Government Central School. In future reports this School will be referred to as the Belilios Public School.
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