ENG-1953 — Page 112

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953

In addition to the 276 students listed in the table, there were 47 students in Britain doing preliminary courses. Four officers of the Education Department were given assistance by the Government, one who held a Unesco Fellowship to study educational administration in Britain, Switzerland, U.S.A., Japan and the Philippines; one with a Colonial Development and Welfare Scholarship to study educational method and the train- ing of primary teachers in Britain, Denmark and Sweden: one with a U.S.A. scholarship to do research on teacher training in the United States, and one with an International Labour Organization grant for a vocational training study tour in Australia, the Philippines and Japan.

Three colleges for the training of teachers have an enrol- ment of 198 student teachers. There was, however, an urgent need for more and better trained teachers. Several methods were used to meet this need. Refresher courses were arranged for qualified teachers in rural schools: 50 unqualified teachers were given a four months course of training: 160 unqualified teachers began a special two year course, while for a further similar course 120 unqualified rural teachers were enrolled: summer conferences were arranged for teachers to meet together, attend lectures and discuss their problems.

A Professional Teachers' Training Board has been con- stituted to discuss plans for the exchange of teacher training facilities between the University and Government, the organiza- tion of courses for unqualified teachers, summer refresher courses and teachers' salaries.

During the year, 116 trained teachers entered government schools, 60 entered grant schools and 530 entered private and subsidized schools. This represents 22% of the total in govern- ment schools, 9.45% in grant-aided schools and 6.6% in private and subsidized schools. The intake of trained teachers was 13% of all teachers for the year.

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