Sessional_Paper_1938 — Page 176

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(b) the half-time seconding for a part of the year of a certain number of Government Masters or Mistresses as lecturers or Masters of Method for these classes,

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(c) suitable arrangements for class-room accommodation for lectures, and (d) granting to lecturers the right of entry to schools in order to permit of the supervision of students while at work in their classes.

GRADUATES.The product of Hong Kong University varies as does that of any other Training Centre; but I think it is generally agreed that many local Graduates in Arts (Teaching) have proved themselves capable of teaching their own subjects in all classes of Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools.

Needless to say, a young Hong Kong Graduate Teacher requires assistance and advice; in the same way so does the young graduate in any other country and in any other profession. The charge has been levelled, and in some cases I think justifiably, that the standard of colloquial English of the University Trained Teacher is not as high as it should be. If this is so, and in a few cases I have found it to be so, then the fault lies with the University authorities who either accept immature material or allow the English of suitable matriculants to deteriorate.

I suggest that some distinction should be drawn between the training given to teachers who will be employed in Primary Schools and that given to those in training for posts in Secondary Schools. A degree should be insisted on for both; but the Primary Teacher should follow a course such as in British Universities would lead to an "Ordinary Degree, and an Honours type of Degree should be required of those granted certification for teaching in Secondary Schools. The ordinary degree would embrace a greater variety of subjects; and the Honours or Secondary Teachers' Course require a lesser number but more intensive study in each. Alternatively or additionally there might be a differentiation in the Pro- fessional Training, i.e., in the selection of subjects in which instruction is given

egarding "Methods of Teaching "

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Some years

I now wish to return to the subject of Vernacular Teachers. ago, a small committee of inquiry sat under Sir Wm. Brunyate, and, as a result, one or two Government Scholars were definitely ear-marked as prospective teachers of Chinese, though I think, not necessarily solely of Chinese. I suggest that this scheme be again considered by the Director of Education and the University, and that an Arts course for "Teachers of Chinese" should be instituted. Thus, and I think only thus, will a satisfactory type of Vernacular Teacher be produced. In this connexion I should point out that, in Government service, the maximum salaries are the same for University Trained Masters, Anglo-Chinese Masters and Vernacular Masters.

J. RALSTON, Inspector of English Schools. 7th April, 1938.

"A"

After the Results of the Annual Examination of the Evening Institute Teachers' Class (English) had been received by me from the examiner, Mr. Rowell, I con- vened an informal meeting for the consideration of these results and the Curriculum and Course of Study generally. This meeting was held on February 17th, 1938.

Messrs. Sollis, Ralston, Rowell, Wilson, Rees and Dyer were present, and the following recommendations were agreed upon unanimously: