ENG-1950 — Page 64

Schools

Progress has been made in education for citizenship. are encouraged to take their senior pupils on visits to Government departments, commercial undertakings and the Law Courts, and every assistance has been given in these ventures by the departments and firms concerned. In September six vernacular civics text books were published for use in Chinese primary schools and a further 6 have now been prepared, the 12 volumes providing for civics lessons for all primary classes. A complete course in civics is also planned for secondary schools, and posters with teaching notes have been issued. Many schools maintained their tradition of social service by organizing free schools for poor children during the long summer vacation.

During the week ending 4th December an Education Week was arranged, public attention being focussed upon the kind of education now provided in the Colony. More than half the schools held Open Days, with demonstrations and exhibitions of work. One of the main features of Education Week was a mass display which laid special emphasis on physical education and music in schools. The two-hour programme included typical exercises in physical education given by pupils from every type of school, and Chinese and western music sung by massed choirs of 2,000 pupils. The combined schools orchestra formed during the year gave two concerts, one in Kowloon and one in Hong Kong. Other activities of the week included football and basketball matches, radio quiz contests and nine special broadcasts. A dramatic competition in which 23 schools took part was held concurrently, plays being performed in Chinese and English. It is intended that Education Week and the inter-schools Dramatic *Competition shall become annual events.

Adult education is carried out mainly through the Evening Institute classes organized by the Education Department, and by private night schools. The Evening Institute provides for classes in commercial and technical subjects and in English, the course in Elementary English being extremely popular. Private night schools offer a wide choice of subjects, including foreign languages, economics, law and journalism, but the standard of teaching varies considerably. Adult classes aimed principally at the removal of illiteracy were organized in the New Territories.

Where technical education is concerned the Junior Technical School offers a general education in preparation for the work of the Technical College which gives full-time day courses in building, wireless telegraphy and mechanical engineering, and evening courses in building, engineering, surveying, shipbuilding, diesel fitting and wireless operating. Close contact is maintained with local employers and representatives of organized labour.

The Aberdeen Industrial School, subsidized by the Government, and the St. Louis Industrial School are both operated by the Salesian Society; the former, a residential school of 350 children, mainly orphans or children of poor parents, gives primary education and 5 years of trade training; the latter, with 986 students, offers special classes in printing and book-binding, has completed the building of a new wing, and plans to have both vernacular and Anglo-Chinese

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