Sessional_Paper_1932 — Page 73

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teachers, the scale of salary should be $720-$4,800 per annum, which scale iš. equivalent to that paid to the Junior Clerical establishment of the Government.

33. The benefits of the present salary scale of $1,800-$6,000, with pension for Anglo-Chinese masters, should be more widely advertised than hitherto. The Com- mission was informed that these figures if more widely known would offer an inducement to graduates to enter Government service after their University course.

PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR LOCAL CHILDREN.

34. It has come to the notice of the Commissioners that the parents of a considerable number of Chinese students who attend schools in Hong Kong are not domiciled in the Colony. The Colony's schools are maintained by the taxpayers either directly or indirectly, and it is only reasonable that, since they bear the financial burden, their children should in all cases have the preference in admission into schools and the grant- ing of free places and scholarships. Any proposal for retrenchment in education at once affects the children of the Colony's taxpayers, and the Commissioners would favour any practical scheme for obliging those who, not being domiciled here, use the educational facilities provided by the local Government, to bear a proportionately greater share of the expenses (either in increased fees or some other method) than those resident in Hong Kong. No grants should be paid to grant in-aid schools in respect of the children of such "absentee" parents. An exception to this being made in the case of British sub- jects living in an outport who send their children to be educated here.

THE TAXPAYER AND THE COST OF EDUCATION

35. Education, like public health services, is quantitative. Much or little, or even none at all, can be spent on it, according to the wishes of the community. Administra- tive services on the other hand have to be provided up to a certain minimum. The community should therefore be put in a position to realize what it means in dollars and cents to provide education. The way in which this could be done would be to allot annually to education a fixed lump sum, say, equal to half of the present expenditure of the Education Department, out of the general revenue of the Colony. Then if the public, functioning through the Board of Education, wished to extend education the necessary funds should be raised by an education rate, which the Board would have power to impose, subject to an over-riding veto in the Governor At present the Board has neither power nor responsibility. The Commissioners recommend that a scheme on these lines be adopted. At the same time the Board should be made more representative than it is at present, and its deliberations given full publicity.

REDUCTION OF STAFF.

36. The Commissioners here put forward a scheme for the reduction of staff con- sequent upon the re-arrangements outlined as follows:--

(i) The number of the classes in Government schools, with the exception of the two senior classes in the secondary schools, should be increased, where space allows, up to a maximum of 35 instead of 30. Such classes should not be subdivided for teaching purposes.

(ii) The Heads of Schools should take an active part in the teaching of the Senior

classes.

(iii) The number of correction periods should be limited.

(iv) The closing down of Queen's College and the transfer of the secondary classes to King's College will lessen the number of European masters required. (v) The closing of Victoria British School and the amalgamation of its pupils with those of Quarry Bay School will involve the possible transfer of one member of the staff from Victoria British School to Quarry Bay School.

(vi) The closing down of the Vernacular Middle School.

37. The scheme for reduction of staff is drawn up on these lines:—

(a) The services of those temporary mistresses, especially of those who are either

(i) Unqualified teachers,