Sessional_Paper_1938 — Page 175

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room for improvement, and since my appointment in January, 1936, as Acting Director of the Evening Institute, have had the question of suitable changes in

view.

I append (A) a minute recording the recommendations of an informal meeting held on February 17th, 1938, and also (B) a new suggested syllabus revised in accordance with these recommendations. The approval of these suggestions by the Director of Education will be sought, with a view to their adoption after the summer vacation.

At present, students in these classes attend three evenings per week, twice for a session of two hours, from 5-7 p.m., and once for one hour. The former is devoted half to instruction in English Language and Literature, and half to instruc- tion in School Method; the single hour is utilized for Hygiene teaching by one of the Chinese Health Officers of Schools. The course consists of three years, each year being divided into two terms of about 14 weeks each. Only in exceptional circumstances, is a student permitted to attend the Second or Third Year until the previous examination has been passed. Success in the Third Year test requires a "Pass" in Practical Teaching. On the successful completion of the course a student becomes recognized as a Passed Student Teacher in terms of the Grant Code, 1924.

The Grant-in-Aid schools rely on these classes in a large measure to supply them with qualified staff. Under the present system these Student Teachers have to come to classes after a full day's teaching and in many cases after travelling a con- siderable distance and with no rest interval between the end of their teaching and the commencement of the lectures. Moreover it may be 7.30 p.m. or even later before many arrive back at their homes. I submit that under these conditions the students are mentally and physically too tired to take full advantage of the lectures.

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The majority of these teachers have very few "free periods in their schools with the result that if they are to perform their duties efficiently, they have to do a large amount of preparation and correction outside of school hours. It is too much to expect teachers to attend lectures on 3 nights a week, read text-books, write essays and notes of lessons, etc., in addition to their other work.

Under this present system the lecturers also have previously done a full day's teaching and a further 2 hours of lecturing is an equally great strain on them.

It will thus be appreciated that the curriculum is neither taught nor studied as well as it should, and might be, in more favourable circumstances; and I feel that part-time teaching can be the only really satisfactory arrangement, if this inexpen- sive system of training teachers is to be continued.

The lecturers are usually members of the Government Education Department, and I consider that without undue dislocation of Staffing arrangements they might be released in order to lecture to these classes, say from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. three or four afternoons per week during the Evening Institute session, i.e., for about 28 weeks per annum. Part of this time would be devoted to supervision of Practical Teaching, an essential part of the efficient Training of Teachers. It is not at present a part of the work of lecturers.

These suggestions, of course, would also entail a certain reduction of the hours of class teaching by the students; but I do not think we need fear any very strong opposition on the part of the Heads of Grant Schools, though, this might with advantage be made a matter of inquiry before any new scheme was promulgated.

Briefly, the adoption of the revision of the Evening Institute Classes as outlined above would entail:-

(a) approximately half-time class-work by Students in Training,