Sessional_Paper_1932 — Page 89

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it is in present circumstances the best possible. The salaries paid by Government are already well known amongst the Chinese community, but they are apparently not sufficiently attractive to induce young men in any number to undergo the four years course at the University at their own expense. To raise salaries would be more pensive than the present scheme. The Commissioners state that allowing for "wastage" the cost to Government works out at $10,000 per head. Unfortunately they do not mention how they arrive at this figure, which is nearly double that which Government is satisfied is more correct. Since the inception of the scheme the following are the figures:-

Numbers.

33 graduates teaching under the scheme

Cost to Government.

$151,515

2 non-graduates teaching in Government schools 12 teachers dismissed, resigned, deceased after service 29 studentships cancelled

3,000

39,760

87,325

$281,600

Assuming for the moment that the 29 failures are a dead loss and adding their cost to that of the 47 teachers who, subsequent to training, actually received appointments in schools in the Colony, the average cost of the 47 works out at just under $6,000 per head. But these 29 are not all a dead loss. Eight completed the course at their own expense and are now teaching in the Colony, two more who did not complete the course are also teaching in the Colony. Adding these ten to the 47, the average cost of 57 teachers comes to less than $5,000 each. If European Masters are to be replaced by Chinese, it is essential that provision should be made for ensuring a regular supply of the latter. The scheme put forward by the Commission to set up a training college for Government teachers only, with a head who would not be, in addition, a head- master of a school and with a highly qualified staff, sounds the reverse of cheap. Nor is any practicable suggestion made as to how the present difficulty of recruiting graduates, without subsidising their university training, is to be surmounted. The Government is at present exploring the possibility of attracting University graduates by the offer of a one year's course of special training

Paragraph 34.-The desirability of this proposal is open to question and the Govern- ment after full consideration in Executive Council is unable to adopt it.

Paragraph 35.-This matter has been considered in Executive Council which was not in favour of the proposal. The Board of Education as at present constituted does very useful work and it is not considered desirable to make its meetings public. It is already sufficiently representative of educational interests.

Paragraph 36.-With the exception of that in sub-section (1), which Government does not feel able to adopt, all the proposals in this paragraph have been dealt with elsewhere in the Report on the Education Department.

Paragraph 37 (a).—It is the Government's view that teachers should only be ap- pointed on educational grounds. The material is very good. They are all paid in accordance with the recommendations of the Salaries Commission.

Paragraph 37 (b). See paragraphs 16-18.

(c) There is in the 1932 Estimates a reduction in the approved establishment of 3 Masters and 3 Probationer Masters.

(d) & (e).—This will have to depend on the scheme referred to under paragraphs 16-18 above and on the future of the Vernacular Middle School. It is however difficult to see how any reduction in these lower grade, and therefore cheaper, teachers is to be effected, without depriving a corresponding number of children of education.