§ 28. Mr. G. Longdenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities exist in the Federation of Malaya for the primary education of Chinese children; what assistance is given by Government; what supervision it exercises; and if he will indicate the rate of expansion of educational facilities generally over the past six years.
§ Mr. LytteltonThere are 1,065 Chinese primary schools attended by 221,000 children; in addition, 45,400 Chinese attend Government or aided schools in which the medium of instruction is English.
The Government helps schools which conform to certain standards by paying half the salaries of Chinese teachers, the whole salaries of teachers in English and Malay and the employers' contributions to a provident fund. Other Chinese primary schools receive per capita grants ranging from 10 to 20 dollars annually for each pupil. Supervision is exercised through a Government inspectorate consisting of Chinese officers and a few Europeans who speak Chinese.
In the last six years the total number of schools of all types has increased by nearly 40 per cent., the number of pupils by over 80 per cent. and the number of teachers by nearly 100 per cent.
§ Mr. AwberyCan the Minister explain the difference between the assistance given to the Tamil, the Malay and the Chinese children?
§ Mr. LytteltonI would prefer the hon. Member to put a question on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. BraineIs it not a remarkable thing that such progress has been made in the light of the emergency obtaining in the last four years? In view of the fact that in the public mind "Malaya" connotes emergency, bandits, and so on, could not my right hon. Friend give greater publicity to the very remarkable 382 social and economic achievements of the Administration there?
§ Mr. LytteltonProgress is not only in these fields. It has been greatly accelerated in many other directions, and I will endeavour to give all possible publicity to it.