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EDUCATION

examination is open to both school and private candidates who hold a school certificate of the required standard, and to private candidates of 25 years of age or over who are required to pass this examination as a pre-requisite to entering for a professional or university examination. London University degree examinations are also conducted annually in May and June. Appendix XXVII shows the more important examinations held in Hong Kong and the number of candidates entering for them.

MUSIC AND ART IN SCHOOLS

The Hong Kong Schools Music Association, which has a member- ship of 4,703, this year presented 12 concerts by local and visiting artists to its student members. The Annual Schools Musical Festival, held in March, attracted a record of 5,535 entries for over 300 classes, thus easily maintaining its place as the largest festival of its kind in the world.

The practical examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music were held from August until December. The number of entries rose to 3,872, preserving the Colony's distinction of having the second highest number of candidates throughout the 32 countries of the British Commonwealth served by the board. There were 1,395 candidates for the theory examinations and 35 for the practical and theory examinations of the Trinity College of Music. The major and grade examinations of the Royal Academy of Dancing attracted 29 and 278 entries respectively.

Two art competitions were arranged in connection with the agricultural show organized by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, and one of the winning entries in the poster competi- tion was subsequently reproduced to help in general publicity. Paintings by Hong Kong school children are regularly sent overseas for exhibition in response to requests. During the year 50 paintings were sent to a 'Children's Art from the Commonwealth' exhibition, held at the Royal College of Art in London as part of the Com- monwealth Arts Festival. A larger collection was sent to the United States of America for display in a number of cities in connection with an export promotion drive sponsored jointly by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries.