ENG-1954 — Page 130

+

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1954

year preliminary course of instruction is provided. The Department is also responsible for 14 evening classes in commerce at which shorthand, book-keeping and costing are taught.

Private technical and commercial schools with day and night classes had a total enrolment of 4,426. Among the technical courses offered are electrical engineering, civil and mechanical engineering, wireless telegraphy, aero engines, automobile engineering, handicrafts and dress-making; the commercial courses included English, shorthand, typewriting, book-keeping and accounting. In some schools the medium of instruction is English and in others Chinese. The standards of tuition and equipment vary greatly.

A Technical Education Investigating Committee, consisting of Government officers and representatives of commerce and industry submitted its report to the Board of Education during the year. The latter has recom- mended to Government the adoption of the report in principle and as a result several committees have been formed. The Standing Committee on Technical Edu- cation and Vocational Training is to advise Government generally on matters concerning technical education and vocational training, an Advisory Committee for the Ho Tung Technical School for Girls has been set up and another committee will deal with the provision of part- time day release classes for Government apprentices and will consider the desirability of using indentures.

Adult education is provided through classes of the Evening Institute, the Technical College Evening Department, the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies, evening courses for adult workers, and by private night schools. In addition, officers of the

100