§ 19. Mr. RILEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there is any system of compulsory education for native children under the Gold Coast administration and the number of native children of school age in the Colony?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThere is no system of compulsory education in the Gold Coast. I have already informed the hon. Member that no statistics are available showing the number of children of school age. It has been roughly estimated that the number is 700,000 in the Gold Coast, Ashanti and the Northern Territories Protectorate.
§ Mr. RILEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it is satisfactory that only 43,000 children should be receiving educational facilities out of a total of 700,000?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI do not think that is a fact. The hon. Gentleman asked me how many were receiving education in Government or Government-aided schools, but I think others receive education in the mission schools. I gave him the figures for the Gold Coast. Ashanti is a separate Colony, and the Northern Territories Protectorate is another.
§ Mr. RILEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the fact that during the last 35 years, only 30,000 children have been given educational opportunities in the Gold Coast, and that at that rate of progress it would take 700 years to educate them all?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI think that calculation is not made upon a sound basis, or that that deduction can be drawn. As a matter of fact, the Gold Coast regards itself as rather in the van of progress.
§ Mr. PALINGIf the right hon. Gentleman's figures are only approximate, is it not time that attention were given to getting definite statistics?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI do not think that quite as many Africans are educated in the Gold Coast as in other Government schools in East Africa, but very good progress is being made.