ENG-1952 — Page 120

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1952

The increasing responsibility of Government in education is indicated by the extension of the activities of the Education Department and the greater financial assistance given to schools. In 1941, government schools catered for 2,700 pupils, in 1952 the figure was 15,579. In the same period enrolment in grant schools rose from 10,000 to 14,409, and in subsidized schools from 23,000 to 40,976. In addition, visits by inspectors to all types of schools are more frequent and schools have learned to welcome and value the advice given. Educational standards are gradually being raised.

In Chinese schools Cantonese is most commonly used as the language of instruction, but a small number of schools teach in Hakka and Mandarin. In Anglo- Chinese and English schools the medium of instruction is English. Chinese schools in which English may be studied as a language subject have divided a twelve year course into 6 years of primary and six years of secondary or middle school. In 1952, a Chinese School Leaving Certificate Examination was held for the the first time and the total number of entries was 961. Post secondary education in Chinese is given at the teacher training colleges and at the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies where in September, 1952, there were 14 classes and 455 students.

The reorganization of Anglo-Chinese Schools, which formerly gave an eight year course, after either 4 or 6 years of primary school education, has com- menced and eventually they will conform to a system of a 6 year primary course followed by 5 years of secondary education leading to the Hong Kong English School Certificate Examination. The 1953 entry for this certificate will exceed 1,500. The Hong Kong University Matriculation Course will be extended to a

84

Page 120Page 121