§ 18. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much money is being spent by the Govern- 749 ment of Kenya Colony on the education of African boys and African girls, respectively?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe form in which the statistics of the Kenya Education Department are compiled does not enable me to furnish the information desired.
Captain CROOKSHANKIs it not true to say that we ought never to measure the value of education merely by the amount of money that is spent on it?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am not sure whether that is intended to be a reflection on the public schools or not.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWill the right hon. Gentleman see to it that the native boys and girls here are as well educated as is possible?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI think I have enough to do to look after education in the Colonial Empire.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI mean as far as his Office will permit.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member's supplementary question does not arise out of the question on the Paper.
§ 19. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the statement in the annual report of the education department of Kenya Colony for 1931 that practically no provision is being made for African girls at Government schools in the Colony except for a small number of girls at a single school, and that the suggested appointment of an organising inspectress of girls' education has not been carried out; and if he will take steps to deal with these defects?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am aware of the paragraphs in the Kenya education report upon which the first part of the question is based. The local Government is fully alive to the importance of providing educational facilities for native girls, but, in the present state of the Colony's finances, any increase of expenditure is, unfortunately, out of the question. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that nearly 38,000 native girls attended mission schools, many of which receive grants-in-aid from Government.
§ Miss RATHBONECould the right hon. Gentleman say what principle 750 underlies the practice of dealing with the education of the boys directly through Government schools, and leaving the girls to the missions? Is the theory that Christianity matters more to the girls, or that education matters less?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThat would be a series of false deductions based, if I may say so, upon false premises.
§ Miss HORSBRUGHIs it that the girls are more intelligent, so that it is not necessary to spend so much money upon them as upon the boys?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI expect that that, as in this country, varies from girl to girl.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman how he squares his present answer with that which he gave to my supplementary question just now —that he had plenty to do in managing the Colonial Office, without interfering with the education of the children?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI did not say that. I said that I was responsible for education in the Colonies, and not in this country.