ENG-1954 — Page 131

EDUCATION

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department and others visited centres of local industry to advise and give lectures on agricultural, technical, industrial and special subjects. Maximum enrolment figures for adult education in classes provided directly by Government were 1,883 in general classes, 3,695 in technical and vocational classes, and 436 in the School of Higher Chinese Studies. Government evening courses are arranged according to demand; they include English, Chinese, accountancy, commercial book-keeping and costing, shorthand, biology, handwork, carpentry, building, engineering, and naval architecture. Literacy classes are organized in rural areas where there is a demand.

Existing facilities for adult education were aug- mented by a new project designed to provide a general background education and certain courses of a trade or technical nature for industrial workers and others who have had only limited education. Classes were started at three levels-higher, middle and lower primary. Courses included Chinese, English, civics, general knowledge, arithmetic and certain technical subjects.

During the year ending 30th June, 1954, fifty new buildings or extensions were opened which provided accommodation for some 14,560 pupils, including about 7,840 at the primary stage. Accommodation for a further 10,000 pupils was found in existing schools or in new schools opening in existing premises adapted for the purpose. New buildings in rural areas provided solely for primary education; those in the urban areas provided for the expansion of primary, secondary, and technical education and in a number of cases enabled existing secondary schools to operate as whole-day

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