§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will say what is the number of children of a school-going age of Mohammedan parents in Ceylon: bow many of such children are receiving instruction; also how many children in 1194 Colombo do not attend school, and what are the reasons for their non-attendance.
§ MR. LYTTELTONNeither the census report for 1901 nor the departmental report classify children receiving school instruction in Ceylon under the head of religion. The census report shows that in Colombo there were, in 1901, 35,405 children between the ages of five and fifteen, of whom 9,747 were receiving instruction. Education is not compulsory in Ceylon.