Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 467

371

No. 14

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

PART I.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM.

1. Before proceeding with their duty of pointing out the defects which exist in the Educational System of the Colony, and of making suggestions for their amend- ment, the Committee think it convenient to recall the leading features of the different schools with which they are concerned.

QUEEN'S COLLEGE.

2. Of these schools, Queen's College stands first in numbers and reputation, and will be first considered. Formerly known as the Government Central School, Queen's College was founded to give an education to Chinese boys. The course which that education was intended to pursue is indicated in the report for 1864 of the then Inspector of Schools, Mr. STEWART. He writes:-

"With the present year the scheme sanctioned by the Board "caine into operation. The School was henceforth to be one where "those only were to be admitted who intended to study English; and, "to prevent that neglect of their own language which is so frequently "found in the case of those who enter on that study, a system of ex- "aminations was introduced, by which boys were to be admitted to "the Chinese classes for one year, on showing that they possess a 'competent knowledge of certain elementary books, that is, Chinese

Classics, and on the following year were to be admitted to the "English classes by passing successfully on the work of the previous "year."

The scheme here indicated of an entrance examination in Chinese was allowed to fall into dissuetude. It may be said at once that one of the recommendations of the Committee will deal with its re-establishment.

3. Some eighteen years later, the Education Department was relieved of the control of Queen's College, and in 1882 Dr. WRIGHT, the present Headmaster, was appointed. His experience of the School extends over twenty years, and the following extract from his latest report describes the changes that have taken place during his term of office :--

"1. On the 22nd January, 1882, I first arrived in the Colony "to assume the duties of Head Master. I propose, therefore, briefly

to compare the conditions existing twenty years ago and now.

“2.

Statistics.

1901.

1881.

"Total No. on the Roll,

1,483

562

.....

"Average Daily Attendance,...

894

386

Monthly Maximum,

1,154

451

"Daily Maximum,.

1,129

"School Fees,

$28,424

$4,05 L

"Expense to the Government, $15,475.04

"Average Expense of each Scholar, $17.31

$10,550.15 $27.35

"Thus at the present time we have twice and a half as many boys "as twenty years ago; Fees seven times the amount; Total Net "Annual Expense to Government one and a half times, while the "cost of each individual scholar is nearly two-thirds of the figures **in 1882.

1902