Annual Reportof the

Director of Education

Bechuanaland Protectorate

for the period

1st January, 1937 to 31st March, 1938.

West Rand Publications, Ltd, 55, Human Street, Krugersdorp—4-39—3174.

ESTABLISHMENT.

Appointment. Name. First Appointment.

Director of Mr. H. J. E. Dumbrell, December 1st 1928.Education ........ O.B.E., B.A.

Clerical Secretary .... Miss M. D. Martin. December 21st, 1926.

Shorthand-Typist .... Miss T. J. B. Martin. April 1st 1936.

N ATIVE STAFF.

Supervisors of Schools.

J. Moyahi ....................................... ... Tati District.

H. Keaikitse .........................................Bangwaketsi Reserve.

M. Mpotokwane ................................. ..Bokalaka District.

B. Mothusi ...........................................Bagatla and Batlokwa Reserves.

L. Moumakwa .................................... Kgalakadi District.

G. G. Sebsso ....................................... .Bamangwato Southern Reserve.

Sub-Inspectors.

Reverend M. T. Mogwe ................ Molepolole District.

Reverend A. Kgasa ........................... Kanye District.

ANNUAL REPORT

of the

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

For the Period 1st January, 1937 to 31st March, 1938.

PART I.

P R E F A C E .

1. About the year 1840 the London Mission Society established a few outstations and schools North o f the Molopo River which is the Southern boundary o f the Bech- uanaland Protectorate.

2. Later the Hermannsburg Mission commenced edu­cational work in what is now known as the Bamalete Reserve and still later the Dutch Reformed Church, the Church o f the Province o f South Africa, the Wesleyan Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Seventh Day Adventist Mission entered the educational field.

3. Reports dated June 10th and November 11th 1901 state that at that time there were in the Southern Protec­torate twenty schools for Africans with an approximate average attendance o f 1,000 pupils and two small schools near Palapye with an enrolment o f thirty-six European children.

4. During the year 1905 Mr. E. B. Sargent, C.M.G., then Director o f Education for the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, visited the Territory and in his report recom­mended that in order to maintain a sufficiently high stan­dard o f work the Protectorate schools should be inspected at least once a year by some competent person.

This recommendation was adopted and until April, 1935, when a Director o f Education for the Territory was appointed, qualified educationists visited the country an­nually, inspected and supervised the work o f the schools and laid the foundation o f the present system.

5. The area o f the Protectorate is approximately275.000 square miles and stretches from the Molopo River in the south to the Zambesi River at its northern extremity. On the western border is the mandated Territory o f South West Africa and on the eastern border are Southern Rhodesia and the Transvaal. To the south is Cape Colony.

Most o f the country is covered with bush, varying from a type o f low thorn scrub to, in the more northerly portions, tropical forest. Good cattle pasturage exists, but, except towards the north west, N ’gamiland, where are the swamps o f the Okovango, surface water is very scarce.

Through the country from South to North and close to the eastern border runs the Rhodesia Railway.

Along this railway, which— by arrangement— is worked by the Union o f South A frica ’s Department o f Railways and Harbours, are most o f the European settlements and within a distance o f 40 miles west o f the railway are situated a number o f large and compact settlements o f Africans— known locally as stads. Some o f these stads, such as Serowe, Kanye and Molepolole, have populations o f more than10.000 people.

West o f this area stretches the Kalahari, which is sparsely inhabited by Bakgalagadi, Hottentots and wander­ing groups o f Bushmen. In the North-Western portion o f the country, N ’gamiland, is a Betswana tribe, the Batawana, and groups o f other African peoples such as Damara, Mampukushu, Makoba and Basubia.

6. A census taken in 1936 shows that there was then an African population o f 260,064 people including approxi­mately 10,000 Bushmen. The European population is set down as being 1,899.

I f one fifth o f a population is accepted as representing the number o f children and young people o f school age, a guess can be hazarded that there are approximately 52,000 African children o f school age in the Bechuanaland Pro­tectorate.

7. The peculiar geographical setting o f the country causes problems in education which receive the full attention o f Government. Am ong these problems the following loom large:—

(a) Impinging on the boundaries o f the Protectorate are five neighbouring Territories and Provinces each with its own educational system. W ith these the educational system o f the Protectorate has to be

adjusted.(b) Agricultural lands and cattle pasturages are invar­

iably distant from the settlements and consequently many boys over the age o f ten years are debarred,

by their economic duties in connection with cattle herding, etc., from attending the schools which are mostly located in the settlements.

(c) Long distances separate most o f the villages and settlements and the sandy nature o f the ground, com­bined with lack o f water, makes travelling expensive, slow and difficult, thus militating against that fre­quent supervision which is so essential in educational work o f a pioneer type.

(d) Consequent upon the distances o f the cattle-pastures from the villages and upon the lack o f satisfactory water supplies, there is, particularly in the larger settlements, a shortage o f milk and other foods es­sential for a balanced and sufficient diet. Malnutri­tion is rife.

8. W orking through the agency o f the schools every effort is made to relate the work done in them with the homes o f the children and with the lives which the pupils may be expected to live when they become adults.

The aims o f the educational system are as set out in a Command Paper (Command 2374) issued by the Secretary o f State for the Colonies in 1925. It is regarded as funda­mental to inculcate sound habits o f health; to develop character by the teaching o f Christian ethics and the for­mation o f socially desirable habits; to develop an intelligent interest in the processes o f nature around the school, and to stress agriculture and adequate diet as absolute and basic needs for satisfactory African development.

9. In 1931, a Board o f Advice on African Education was established and its personnel includes representatives o f the missionary societies, officials whose work brings them into close contact with A frican development, and non­official A frican and European members.

During the same year, and with the full support o f the Board o f Advice, the system o f managing African education by means o f District School Committees was adopted gene­rally throughout the country except in the Kgalagadi, Khanzi and Chobe Districts where the African schools are under the direct control o f District Commissioners. The personnel o f each committee includes official, missionary and African representatives.

10. European schools are also managed by small com­mittees and to assist these schools the Government gives grants-in-aid. No classes higher than Std. VI the eighth year o f the primary school course— are formed.

Each year, three selected children, whose parents are not in a financial position to place them at schools outside the Territory for secondary education, are awarded bur­saries to enable them to continue their education. Educa­

tional allowances are also made to parents similarly cir­cumstanced financially who live in parts o f the country remote from an established school. These allowances are designed to assist in paying fo r the services o f a governess or tutor or to help parents to place their children at suitable primary schools outside the Territory.

11. The primary school course for African children is an eight-year course comprising two sub-standards and six standards. On its completion an examination known as the School Leaving Certificate Examination is held, and possession of a School Leaving Certificate is the open sesame” to secondary education either in the Protectorate or the Union o f South Africa. The scope o f the examination includes practical agriculture and craft work o f various kinds, written tests o f hygiene and Biblical knowledge.

12. Two types o f schools cater for the requirements o f the primary school course. They are:— (a) the Village Schools (b) Central Schools. At the former, provided the teacher is qualified, the requirements o f the first six years o f the primary course are taught, but i f he should be un­qualified only a modified curriculum extending over the first five years o f the course is permitted.

A t Central Schools the course for the first six years is almost identical with that taught at the village schools but special facilities are provided for completing the last two years work o f the full primary course. Pupils desirous o f doing more advanced work than is possible at the village school generally make arrangements to board with friends and relatives in an A frican settlement where there is a central school at which the full primary course is provided.

13. Possessed o f the School Leaving Certificate a pupil is qualified to enter either a secondary school in the Protec­torate or an educational institution in the Union o f South Africa or Southern Rhodesia.

N OTE: Appendix “ A " shows in diagram form the progress from school to school.Appendix “ B” is a map showing districts, schools etcetera.

PART II.

CHAPTER 1.

OUTSTANDING EVENTS OF THE Y E A R :

Vernacular Language:

14. For many years efforts have been made to stan­dardize an orthography for Tswana, the language used gen­erally by Africans in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, and at a representative meeting held at Johannesburg in April, 1937, final decisions governing the writing o f Tswana were reached. This new orthography has been officially recog­nised by the Protectorate Government and by the Provincial Education Departments o f the Union o f South Africa, and it is hoped that the standardisation will result in the speedy production o f up-to-date vernacular text books. Not only are such books required for use in our own schools but also for Tswana-speaking pupils attending schools in the Trans­vaal, the Cape Province and the Orange Free State. In 1936 there were attending schools in the three provinces mentioned the following numbers o f Tswana-speaking pupils in addition to those in Protectorate Schools:—

Transvaal 26,593 pupils.Cape Province 11,000 pupils.Orange Free State 6,153 pupils.

It may be stated with confidence that there are more than 50,000 Tswana-speaking children attending schools in Southern Africa, and their education will be considerably benefited by the decisions made.Special Visits of Inspection:

15. The Director o f Education was absent on overseas leave from the middle o f March to the beginning o f October. During his absence, and with the permission o f the Basu­toland Government, Mr. F. H. Pickett, B.A., Inspector o f Schools, visited the Territory and inspected the work of the most important A frican schools. Mr. W. T. Jackson, M.A., Principal o f the Mafeking High School, Cape Prov­ince, made similar inspections at European Schools situated near, or at reasonable distances from, the railway line. General reports were written as a result o f these visits and are attached as annexures “ C” and “ D” to this report.

16. Three subsidiary training courses for African teachers were held respectively at Serowe, Francistown and Mochudi. A t each course there was an attendance o f ap­proximately fifty teachers and emphasis was placed on the following needs:—

(1) Improved methods o f approach for the teaching o f ordinary school subjects.

(2) School hygiene and avoidance o f disease.(3) School gardens and their development.(4) Dietetics and problems o f malnutrition.(5) The relation o f the school to home life and home

activities.

Advisory Councils:17. The Board o f Advice on A frican Education met

at Mafeking on November 19th and 20th, 1937, and was presided over by His Honour the Resident Commissioner, Mr C N Arden Clarke, who in his opening address stressed the urgent need for increased propaganda in connection with the proper feeding o f school children.

Among items set down on the agenda w eie.(1) Government proposals for the instituting o f Tribal

Treasuries in most o f the Reserves.(2) Age o f entry to Primary Schools.(3) Proposed legislation fo r the control o f A frican

Schools.(4) Teacher training in the Protectorate.

18 The European Advisory Council met at Mafeking on January 31st, 1937. At this session o f the Council a member asked for a statement o f the Government s policy in regard to the primary education o f European children in the Protectorate. In replying to the question on behalf o f the Government the Director o f Education referred to the fact that many children o f railway employees, whose work necessitates their living at isolated sidings often far distant from Protectorate schools, are growing up illiterate. These railway workers are nationals o f the Union ot South A frica but do not come within the educational facilities afforded by Union Provincial systems o f education. He also referred to the perplexing problems incidental to de- vising’ a scheme for educating European children scattered over an area o f 275,000 square miles, i.e. approximately one European child o f school age to every 680 square miles o f territory.

The full reply, as given at the meeting o f the council, is set out in Appendix “ E ” , and indicated that the present policy o f the Government is to link up our system o f European education with those o f the four Provinces o f the Union o f South Africa, and to raise the calibre o f the teachers employed at our Government-aided schools and the quality and type o f their teaching, so that the life ex­perience and needs o f the children may be enriched.

19. In January 1937 there was held at Pretoria a con­ference attended by educationists representative o f the three High Commission Territories, Basutoland, Bechuana- land and Swaziland.

A similar meeting was held in February, 1988, at the same place, and it is intended to hold such conferences an­nually.

Matters discussed included teacher-training, classifica­tion o f schools, syllabus content, secondary education, etcetera.

In promoting the co-ordination o f educational activities, in the sharing o f professional experience and in breaking down the feeling o f isolation these conferences have proved a boon.

Secondary Education: African:

20. Until the beginning o f the year 1937 only at two institutions within the Protectorate was work o f a secon­dary type attempted. A t one, Forest Hill in the Southern Protectorate, there has been in existence a two-year course in agriculture for boys who previously have completed the eight years o f the primary school course. Forest Hill Agricultural School is under the aegis o f the Roman Catho­lic Church. A t the other— the Tati Training Institution in the north o f the country— some post-primary work, mainly o f academic type, has been attempted. This institution was started as a private venture by an African, the Rev­erend K. T. Motsete, M.A.

During the year under review District School Com­mittees in the Bakgatla, Bamangwato and Bangwaketsi Reserves permitted the formation o f post Std. VI. classes fo r pupils who had completed the full primary school course. In Chapter V. (paragraphs 66 to 72) o f this report tentative suggestions for the organisation o f post-primary education are made with a view to establishing it on a proper basis.

Examination Successes:

21. One African, a member o f the Bamangwato Tribe, who has been subsidized by the Government, satisfied the requirements for an Arts degree (B .A .) at the South A fri­can Native College, Fort Hare. ..Two students o f the Tati Training Institution passed the Cambridge College o f Pre­ceptors Junior Examination, and o f 22 other students re­

ceiving financial assistance 8 were successful in Teacher Training, 3 in the Junior Certificate Examination, and 8 in the Secondary School Examinations.

22. A generous grant o f approximately £200 from the Carnegie Corporation o f New York and assistance from Government funds have made possible the establishment o f excellent reference libraries at seven o f the largest African settlements. To these seven centres have also been sent metal boxes containing books in English, Afrikaans and Tswana. These books are suitably graded and will be loaned to African readers. A system o f checking has been devised which will provide valuable information relative to the popularity o f the books, sex and age o f readers, etc. That this library was organised and brought into actuality within the short period o f three months is in no small measure due to the personal interest shown by His Honour the Resident Commissioner.Total Attendance at African Schools:

23. The calendar year 1937 closed with a total atten­dance o f 14,239 African pupils attending schools o f all types. This is an increase o f 2,354 as compared with the previous year and o f 6,279 as compared with the total number o f pupils on roll at the end o f the year 1931, the first year when approximately accurate data was secured. Within six years the attendance has almost doubled.

Appendix “ F ” sets out for each District or Reserve in­formation as regards the number o f teachers employed and the amount o f money set aside from Native Fund for African education in each Reserve during the financial year ended March 31st, 1938. Information is also given in respect o f population.

The following table shows the expenditure on African Education during the past five years:—

EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION : ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL.

24. During the year legislation was drafted to regulate the establishment o f mission, private and other A frican schools in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. This proposed legislation has not as yet been enacted but was unanimously approved by the Board o f Advice on African Education.

Votes from Votes from Native Fund. General Funds.

1932— 19331933— 19341934— 19351935— 19361936— 1937

£6,168 £4,8001,192 9,7191,961 9,2729,430 11,421

11,717 11,270

CHAPTER II.

25. A meeting o f the Advisory Board for African Education was held at Mafeking in November, 1937. Its personnel includes Professor I. Schapera, the well-known anthropologist, and Professor G. P. Lestrade, an authority on African Languages. Mission representatives include not only those residing in the Protectorate but some, such as the Reverend A. J. Haile, Principal o f the Tiger Kloof Native Institution, who are members o f similar boards in the Cape Province. A number o f Chiefs and other Africans are members o f the Board.

A t a meeting o f the Native Advisory Council held in February 1938, one member o f the Council suggested that the personnel o f the Board o f Advice included too many members from outside the country. Although a number o f the members— less than half— do fall under this category, yet they are all closely associated with the Territory and their presence on the Board makes it possible to correlate closely our system o f education with that o f the Cape Province o f the Union o f South Africa. On the Board Mrs. Arden Clarke represents the interests o f A frican girls and women. .

26. Throughout the year the District School Commit­tees more than justified their existence. Their work in­cludes the appointing o f teachers, the keeping o f buildings in proper repair, provision o f equipment, general supervision and the fram ing o f estimates. In all instances the secre­tarial work is performed by a missionary. Regular meet­ings were held throughout the year and minutes o f business completed were forwarded to headquarters for approval.

27. The Director o f Education is responsible for the direction and general control o f educational work. He also performs the duties o f School Inspector and during the year visited and reported upon the work o f many schools. During his absence overseas an Assistant Dis­trict Commissioner, Mr. C. C. McLaren, maintained surveil­lance over educational work. Assisting in the work o f school supervision are six Africans known as Native School Supervisors. These men, who are qualified and experienc­ed teachers, have under their care groups o f approximately 20 schools. Two to three days are spent at each school where they inspect and supervise the w ork; give demon­strations o f teaching methods, and endeavour to stimulate the interest o f parents. A report is written on each school visited and such reports are sent to the Chairman and Secretaries o f District Committees and to the Education Office. In this way 82 schools were reported upon during the year.

The Director o f Education attends meetings o f the European and Native Advisory Councils and during the year attended many meetings o f District School Commit­tees.

CHAPTER III.

FINANCE:28. The total money allocated from ordinary Govern­

ment revenues was £11,918 as compared with £11,270 for the previous year. This represents approximately 6% of the total estimated revenue for the financial year ended March 31st., 1938.

29. This sum of £11,918 included a grant o f £4,000 fo r Native Education. This amount, however, was not expended as it was possible to satisfy from the account known as the Native Fund the estimated costs o f African Education.

This Native Fund account was established under sec­tion two o f Proclamation No. 47 o f 1919 and is built up o f payments o f five shillings additional to the amount of hut tax paid by each African man over the age o f eighteen years.

Hitherto almost the whole cost o f A frican Education has been made a charge against the Native Fund Account and for the financial period 1937/1938 a sum o f £13,950 was allocated for A frican education.

The full amount provided from funds under govern­ment control for educational purposes was £25,868 made up as follow s:—

F rom :— Ordinary Government Revenue : £11,918 Native Fund : 13,950

£25,868

Of this amount the following sums were expended:—F rom :— Ordinary Government Revenue : £ 7,249: 2 :2

Native Fund : 13,195:19:6

£20,445: 1:8

30. In certain districts voluntary levies and rates authorised by His Excellency the High Commissioner and used to assist general development work within the dis­tricts were in operation.

The following statement gives the amounts expended from levies for educational purposes:—

Bangwaketsi : £232Bamalete : 58Bakwena : 400Bakgatla : 104

Total £794

Up to the present time school fees are paid at only two A frican schools, to which are attached boarding- facilities. These are the Forest Hill Agricultural School and the Tati Training Institution where the rates o f fees paid by each pupil are, respectively £4 per annum and £5 per annum (B oys) ; £ 4 :5 /- per annum (G irls).

Several District Committees are, however, considering the advisability o f instituting the practice o f fee payment at certain o f their well-established schools with a view to improving equipment.

Fees are charged at the European Schools. (See paragraph 46).

31. As from April 1st., 1938, it is Government’s in- tention to consolidate the Native Fund payments with the payments o f general tax, and 35% of tax collected in the following Reserves: Bamangwato, Barolong Farms, Bang- waketsi, Bamalete, Bakgatla and Bakwena will be paid over to the credit o f Tribal Treasuries which will as at April 1st., 1938, be established in those areas.

During the financial period ending March 31st., 1939, the costs o f teachers’ salaries, books and equipment and general repairs to buildings, etcetera, will be a charge against the receipts o f the Tribal Treasuries. For dis­tricts where Tribal Treasuries have not been established a sum o f £4,945 has been provided from Central Funds to meet similar charges.

Within this amount o f £4,945 is included money to meet the costs ol subsidiary training* courses fo r teachers \ examination expenses; special forms o f professional and technical training, etcetera, and whilst they are in their infancy these costs will not be borne by Tribal Treasuries where they are established.

32. Only to three Institutions are direct grants made by Covem m ert. They are a grant o f £420 to the Forest Hill Agricultural School, and o f £100 to the Tati Training Institution which latter is receiving annually from the Carnegie Corporation a grant o f approximately £200 a year. This special grant ceases in 1940.

33. The third Institution is Tiger K loof Training Institution near Vryburg in the Cape Colony. It receives annually a sum o f £200, which is made up o f £100 from general revenues apportioned to education and £100 from the Native Fund. A t Tiger Kloof a number o f our men and women are trained as teachers and others in technical work.

34. For further details regarding expenditure on African Education reference should be made to the finan­cial tables at the end o f this report.

.35. The approximate net cost to Government for each African pupil was £1:2 :11 and for each European pupil including those attending schools, primary and second­ary, outside o f the Territory £32:7:0 . In arriving at these figures the emoluments o f the Director o f Education and o f his personal office staff together with costs o f travelling and other expenditure incurred in connection with both European and African Education, have been assessed as two-thirds chargeable to African Education and one-third chargeable against European Education. Of the two schools for Coloured children one is financed from Native Fund and the other from the general education account.

CHAPTER IV.

PRIMARY EDUCATION.(a) European Schools:36. Twelve European schools received grants-in-aid

from ordinary Government revenues, and in all but two instances, a school at Lobatsi and one at Hildavale, they are one-teacher schools.

37. A t the end o f the year there were 162 children attending these schools and the following table shows how they were grouped within the various classes and standards into whicn the eight-year primary school course is divid­ed :—Sub. Std. A. Sub. Std. B. Std. I. Std. II. Std.III

35 24 19 29 25Std. IV. Std. V. Std. VI.

12 12 6 Total:— 162.38. Of the Fourteen teachers employed at the schools

eight held professional qualifications. During the finan­cial year commencing April 1st., 1938, increased grants-in- aid are to be made to the European schools and it is hoped that this assistance will enable school committees to offer higher salary rates and thus to secure a better type o f qualified teacher.

The main difficulty, however, remains, and it is that the teachers do not enjoy salaries based on an incremental basis and are not entitled to pensions on the completion of service and naturally prefer to accept positions in schools under the direct control o f a Government. Hence changes o f staff are, and will continue to be, frequent.

A t a recent meeting o f the European Advisory Council (referred to in paragraph 18 o f Chapter I o f this Report) it was stated that our present policy for European educa­tion is to correlate our system with that o f one o f the

Provinces in the Union o f South Africa. In its last analy­sis this means incorporation o f our system within that of one o f those Provinces and then it will be possible to maintain permanence o f staff.

39. In addition to the Government-Aided Schools there were during the year three small schools at which governesses or tutors were employed. Grants o f £12 a year for each child up to a maximum of £36 for a family are given to assist towards the costs o f a teacher’s services at schools o f this type.

40. Scattered throughout the Territory are a number o f isolated European homes far from established schools. Towards the education o f children from such homes, often situated where climatic conditions are inimical to health, the Government gives an educational allowance o f £16 per annum to enable the parents to place a child at a suitable primary school in either the Union o f South A frica or Southern Rhodesia. The grant is conditional upon the parents not being in a financial position to pay the full costs o f such education.

During the year 50 such grants were in operation.

41. Yearly three bursaries o f £24 are given to select­ed children, who complete with credit the primary school course, to assist their parents— if in need o f such assist­ance— to place them at suitable secondary schools in either the Union o f South A frica or Southern Rhodesia. Pro­vided good reports o f progress are received these grants are renewed yearly until the completion o f the child’s eighteenth year.

42. A t the end o f the year 10 pupils entered for an examination o f the Southern Rhodesia Department of Education which is known as the Qualifying Examination (Std. V. and termination o f the seventh year o f the primary school course) and 6 pupils entered for the Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination o f the Protectorate (Std. VI. and termination o f the primary school course), 5 candidates passed the Qualifying Examination and 6 obtain­ed the School Leaving Certificate (Std. V I.).

43. It has been decided to discontinue the Southern Rhodesia examination and in future to hold but one exam­ination at the end o f the eighth year o f the primary course (Std. V I.). By arrangement with the Transvaal Provin­cial Department o f Education the papers set for the Bursary Selection Examination in that Province will be used in the Protectorate as a test for the School Leaving Certificate. Further, it is proposed to substitute for the Southern Rhodesia syllabus used hitherto that o f the Transvaal for the primary school education o f White children.

44. At the twenty-fourth Session o f the European Advisory Council held at Mafeking early in February, 1938, a member o f the Council asked for a statement by Govern­ment o f its present policy for European education, and also for information in respect o f the number o f children of school age not attending school or receiving instruction. The replies given by the Director o f Education on behalf o f the Government are set out in Appendix “ E.”

Since the reply was given, it has been ascertained that the children o f railway employees residing in the Territory and who are Union o f South A frica Nationals number 191, o f whom 105 are o f school age. This question o f provid­ing for their education will be brought up for discussion with the Union Government.

45. It is a most difficult matter to ascertain the number o f European children o f school age, who are residing in the country and receiving no schooling. Ultimately it may be necessary to pass legislation making it obligatory for parents and guardians to register all children falling within a certain age range.

46. School fees are charged at the Government-Aided Schools and the proceeds are used to defray the costs of equipment and books and to maintain buildings in proper repair. In some instances a portion o f the revenue derived from fees is used to add to the salaries paid to teachers. During the year a total amount o f £249:6:10 was collected. No fees at all were collected at the Pitsani, Ghanzi and Palapye European Schools.

47. During the absence o f the Director on overseas leave, 10 schools for European children were inspected by Mr. W. T. Jackson, M.A., Principal o f the Mafeking High School (Cape Province). He supplied a general report which is printed as Appendix “ D.”

48. Recently 45 desks o f up-to-date type and o f varied sizes were given to the schools by the Government. It is intended also to supply maps and to arrange for more satisfactory text books to be brought into use.

(b) Coloured Schools:49. Of these there are two. One is in the Bakwena

Reserve and the other at Francistown. Both receive grants-in-aid from the Government. To the first a grant o f £108 is made from the Native Fund Account but the grant o f £130 to the school at Francistown is paid from general revenues.

At both schools the primary course used is the same as is used in European schools, and the teachers, Coloured men, are qualified.

The school building at Francistown and the teacher’s residence are in a most dilapidated state and unfit for

their purposes. The matter o f their repair is receiving attention.

During the year the total average attendance for both schools was 65 pupils.

(c) Indian Education:

50. There is not as yet any school fo r Indians, but the Government placed on the 1937/1938 estimates a sum o f money— £120— to subsidize the employment o f a teacher at Ramoutsa in the Bamalete Reserve. This was done at the urgent and insistent requests o f certain Indians who live in that locality.

A promise was made by these people that they would erect a suitable school building and a residence for an Indian teacher if Government would give the abovemention­ed assistance. In spite o f several discussions with these people no building has eventuated and once more the grant voted is unspent. The 1936 census return showed a total Indian population o f 66 and there are probably 14 Indian children o f school age.

(d) African:

51. The year closed with a total average enrolment o f 13,893 pupils in attendance at ordinary schools for Africans. This is an increase o f 1,908 as compared with the figure given in the report for the year 1936. The figure 13,893 includes 24 pupils working in a post-primary class known as Std. VII. to which reference will be made in a later chapter, but does not include pupils working at special schools or at such as do not yet receive financial assistance.

Appendix “ C” shows the number o f pupils in the vari­ous classes and standards in each District. Appendix “ H ” shows the approximate A frican population in each District; the approximate number o f children o f school age; the percentage o f the school population that attend school; the average number o f pupils to a teacher in ordinary schools and the approximate cost o f a child’s education in each District calculated on the money allocated to that District from Native Fund for Primary and Post Std. VI. Educa­tion.

52. Appendix “ G” discloses a very serious situation, as the attendance o f girls at the primary schools is more than double that o f the boys except in three districts— Tati, Kgalagadi and Ghanzi. In these three areas the system o f herding stock is different from that obtaining in other areas.

As has been mentioned earlier in this report the Go­vernment is attempting to deal with this difficulty by appointing travelling teachers to teach boys engaged in herding stock. Little can be done, however, to improve

the position as a whole, which is due largely to the desert conditions prevailing in the m ajor portion o f the Territory, but as funds permit more teachers will be employed.

53. 74% o f the primary school pupils are in the first two sub-standards and only 1% reach Std. VI., the eighth year o f the primary school course.

Most African children spend less than three years at school, and knowing this every effort is made to equip them with an ability to read and w rite; to give them a sound knowledge o f elementary number and to establish habits incidental to good health and satisfactory social conduct.

54. Appendix “ C” is a report written by Mr. F. H. Pickett, B.A., Inspector o f Schools, Basutoland, who visited 16 o f the larger African Schools during the year.

This report, which pays tribute to what has been accomplished in some directions, indicates certain defects which merit immediate attention. W ith his criticismsI am in entire agreement.

The standard o f vernacular work is, as reported by Mr. Pickett, definitely poor and this is in part due to the lack o f satisfactory text books and also in part to the poor methods o f teaching employed in the lowest classes by teachers who are mostly unqualified. However, now that the problems o f Tswana orthography have been settled it is hoped that good and suitable books will become avail­able and the provision o f such books will do much to improve the standard o f vernacular work.

55. During the year a total o f 147 visits was made to primary schools by the Director o f Education and the A frican School Supervisors. A number o f visits were also made by Secretaries o f School Committees and District Commissioners.

56. Reports made as a result o f these visits show that there is much to be done before primary education can be graded as really satisfactory. Appendix “ H” shows that there is approximately one teacher to every 58 African children attending schools. This allocation when viewed from the standpoint o f the country's financial position is, even if not a satisfactory proportion, at least an earnest attempt to meet the needs o f the situation and more must be done to secure, with what is available, a better return for expenditure. W astage must be avoided better methods o f teaching must be used and more use must be made o f local possibilities.

57. 131 candidates entered for the African Primary School Leaving Certificate and 80 were successful. This is an internal examination and the questions are set by experienced educationists living in either the Union o f South A frica or in the Protectorate.

Results obtained reflect an improvement in such sub­jects as Scripture, Hygiene and Agriculture, but on the whole they were disappointing. This is due perhaps to the fact that the A frican School Supervisors had not themselves the experience o f teaching work such as is now prescribed for Stds. V. and VI. (seventh and eighth years).

It is intended during the coming year to concentrate upon the work o f these classes and if an inspector o f Schools is appointed it will enable the Director himself to give some personal attention to this important branch o f the work.

CHAPTER V.

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

European:

•58. No Secondary Education is provided within the Protectorate for either boys or girls and in many instances it is preferable for health reasons that they proceed to schools either in the Union o f South Africa or Southern Rhodesia.

During 1937, 51 boys and 35 girls were, with assistance from Government, attending approved Secondary and Primary Schools outside the Territory. These pupils include the sons and daughters o f officials who receive grants for each child between the age o f ten and eighteen years.

Reports on the work done by these pupils are most encouraging.

Correspondence Teaching:

59. On various occasions it has been suggested that guidance by correspondence teaching be given to pupils who have completed the primary school curriculum. This matter is having attention. It may be possible to arrange for such pupils to remain at their schools fo r from two to three years and under the supervision o f the teacher, if qualified, to do post primary work under the guidance o f an approved correspondence school o f which there are several in South Africa.

African:

60. Secondary education begins at the completion of the full primary course and extends over a period o f five years. The first portion o f this course covers a period o f three years and at the end o f that time the Junior School Leaving Certificate can be obtained by examination. A

further two years o f secondary work leads to either matriculation or as an alternative the Senior Leaving Certificate.

Each o f the four Provinces in the Union o f South A frica has its Junior Secondary Syllabus and most schools follow either the syllabus prescribed for the Province within which they are situated or that arranged by the University o f South A frica which also controls by examina­tions entrance to colleges and higher education.

The courses prescribed by either Provincial Depart­ments o f Education or by the South African University permit o f a liberal choice o f subjects, and both Africans and Europeans are admitted to the examinations held at the completion o f the courses.

61. Although only 1% o f the whole school-going population completes the full Primary School course, those who do complete it are o f very great significance so far as the future development o f the Protectorate is concerned. Many o f them will be required to fill important niches m the medical, agricultural, veterinary, educational and native administration services, and others will occupy vari­ous positions as responsible leaders.

62. Hitherto, practically all pupils from the Protec­torate entering upon secondary education have attended the Tiger K loof Institution, situated near Vryburg in the Cape Province. This Institution is under the aegis o f the London Mission Society and at it can be obtained a variety o f secondary courses which include full teacher training courses and complete training in carpentry, masonry, tailoring, tanning and leather work, spinning and weaving and domestic science, but as yet no training in agriculture and animal husbandry— both o f great importance in this Protectorate— is offered.

63. Tiger K loof receives an annual grant o f £200 from the Government and during the year received an additional amount o f £384:0:1. paid out as assistance to student teachers and other pupils from the Protectorate who were doing secondary work at the Institution.

64. Excellent as are the facilities for secondary education at Tiger H o o f there are two serious drawbacks. The first is that, as stated in paragraph 62, above, there are no special facilities for agricultural training and the second is that it is situated outside the Protectorate and is approximately 120 miles from the southern border o f this Protectorate. This means that, to the ordinary fees, which amount to about £17 :10 /- a year, has to be added the costs o f railway travel. It is not unusual for a student to be involved in a railway journey o f more than 300 miles in order to reach the Institution from his home.

These somewhat heavy costs incidental to an African sending a son or daughter to T iger Kloof for secondary education, coupled with the development o f primary educa­tion within the Territory, have had as one result insistent demands from Africans that provision be made for at least junior secondary education within this country itself. Experience gained in connection with District School Committees and in the establishment o f Tribal Treasuries has, however, afforded all concerned some idea o f the financial implications likely to be involved in establishing such secondary work.

65. Hitherto, only at the Tati Training Institution, near the north-eastern boundary o f the Protectorate and at Forest Hill, near Khale in the Southern Protectorate, both already referred to in paragraph 20 o f this Report, have there existed any facilities for secondary education within the country itself. A t the form er a few pupils receive secondary instruction o f academic type and at the latter, which is under the control o f the Roman Catholic Mission, there is a two-year course in agreement. Both institutions receive financial assistance from the Govern­ment.

66. Recently proposals have been made to establish at the Tati Training Institution secondary education based on the requirements o f an ordinary Junior Secondary Course such as has been already described, and to include within the course agriculture and practical craft work for boys and domestic science and craft work fo r the girls.

There has also been re-organisation o f the secondary work attempted at the Forest Hill and the intention is to bring into existence there a two-year course o f training for agricultural demonstrators.

The re-organisation o f work at the two centres will permit pupils living in districts remote from Tiger Kloof to secure ordinary junior secondary education comparatively near to their homes and at Forest Hill will be obtainable a full course o f agricultural instruction such as cannot be obtained at present at Tiger Kloof.

67. During the year and at three centres, Serowe, Mochudi and Kanye, the District School Committees con­cerned permitted the formation o f classes for pupils who had obtained the Primary School Leaving Certificate, and these classes have been taught by teachers really engaged to deal with the work o f the higher classes o f the Primary Schools, to which these post primary groups o f pupils are o f immediate necessity attached, and also by mission workers and others interested in the experiment. There is, however, some vagueness as to the direction which in­struction in these post-primary classes should take and the formulation o f a suitable syllabus is under consideration. It will aim at equipping students for service in agricultural,

medical, administrative and commercial spheres while enabling them to proceed to higher education if they so wish.

68. It is believed, however, that these commence­ments o f secondary education can be regarded as founda­tions upon which can be established a three years course o f secondary education, which will be a broadening education for the life which the m ajority o f these boys and girls will live when adults: further that it will make them better able to control their lives and to some extent the environ­ment in which they will live. This will only be possible o f realisation if the parents can be persuaded to regard secondary education as dowering their children with a wider scope fo r living happier and fuller lives, rather than as a means o f providing them at the end o f three years with an examination certificate.

69. If satisfactory secondary education is to be established at such centres as have been mentioned, there must be clear recognition o f the fact that the work done will not be acceptable to A frican parents i f it is in any way inferior to work done at similar institutions outside the Territory. To secure such satisfactory work means the provision o f adequate accommodation and proper staffing.

70. A t most settlements pupils could find boarding accommodation with relatives and friends, but capital expenditure would be incurred in the erection o f classroom and work-shop accommodation. For a mixed group of from twenty to thirty pupils two teachers, each possessed o f the Higher Primary Teacher’s Certificate, would be re­quired. One o f these teachers would have to be a man qualified to teach Agriculture and W oodwork; the other a woman able to teach domestic science. An adequate salary for the man would be £120 a year and for the woman £80 a year.

A classroom for each o f these teachers would be needed and in addition two large sized rooms, one for the use of the girls in connection with domestic science, and the other fo r boys’ woodwork, etc. A sum o f approximately £500 would be needed for the erection o f these buildings and necessary sanitary conveniences, and to that amount should be added a further sum o f £100 to cover the costs of equipment.

71. The financial position o f the country is such that the Government, faced with the clamorous and justifiable demands o f a growing system o f primary education, cannot do more than make a limited number o f small grants-in-aid towards such form s o f secondary education as are absolute­ly essential for its general policy o f African development, and any costs o f capital and recurrent expenditure incidental

to the establishment o f secondary education in the Protec­torate will probably have to be met by the local communities concerned.

72. A t the centres mentioned those who have ventured into the world o f secondary education are faced with the following alternatives

(a) To hand over secondary education to some Mission body on terms and conditions to be mutually ar­ranged.

(b) To secure from Tribal Funds the capital costs of buildings and to meet recurrent costs by further grants from Tribal Funds and the imposition of school fees.

(c) To co-operate with other tribes in the establish­ment o f secondary education at an agreed centre.

(d) To discontinue any education beyond the Primary School stage and to rely as theretofore on facilities obtainable at Tiger Kloof, the Taxi Training In­stitution or at Forest Hill Agricultural School.

FOOT NOTE: A high School for Africans is being estab­lished at Maseru, Basutoland, and the suggestion has been made that pupils from this Protectorate might be sent to it for Secondary work.

CHAPTER VI.

POST SECONDARY EDUCATION.

(M ALE AND FEM ALE)

73. University education for Africans is available at the South African Native College, Fort Hare, in the Union o f South Africa.

From time to time applications are made for assistance towards the expenses o f students from the Protectorate who have qualified for entrance into the College, and pro­vision is made for such assistance.

74. A t the end o f the year one student who had been so subsidized had conferred upon him the Bachelor o f Arts degree. A second student is at present engaged in a similar course o f study and a third is being trained in the course provided for Medical Aids.

CHAPTER VII.

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

(M ALE AND FEM A LE ).

75. The following table shows the qualifications o f all teachers employed at schools as at the end o f the year 1937:

Qualifications. Male. Female. Totals.M.A. B.D. (London) 1 _ 1B.A. (S.A.) 1 _ 1Higher Primary 1 _ 1N.P.L. III. 40 6 46N.P.L. II. 10 3 13N.P.L. I. 1 1Teachers Diploma 1 _ 1Standard VIII. 1 _ 1Standard VII. 3 _ 3Standard VI. 77 43 120Standard V. 26 2 28Standard IV. 8 _ 8Standard III 1 2 3Standard II. 1 _ 1Sub Standard B. 2 2Industrial - 6 6

Totals 173 63 236

76. No teacher training other than that provided at Subsidiary Training Courses has as yet been established in the Territory and most o f the qualified African teachers now employed in the Protectorate received their training at the Tiger K loof Institution.

77. During the year under review an amount o f £203.4.6 was spent in financing the training o f 10 teachers for future service in the Territory, and o f these 4 completed the full course and have now been appointed to posts.

78. There are two courses o f training recognised in the Union o f South A fr ica : the first is a three years’ course, and possession o f the Primary School Leaving Certificate (Std. VI.) is an essential qualification for admission into it. At the completion o f the three years o f training a Full Certificate known as the Lower Primary Teachers’ Cer­tificate is obtained.

Admission to the second and more advanced type of training is governed by possession o f a Junior Secondary School Leaving Certificate and training extends over a per­iod o f two years. To those who successfully complete this course a qualification known as the Higher Primary Cer-

tificate is awarded. Possession o f a Lower Primary quali­fication does not admit a student into the Higher Primary Course, and a young man or woman intent upon securing such a qualification has, after obtaining the Protectorate School Leaving Certificate, to spend three years at a Junior Secondary School, and after obtaining a Junior Certificate has to spend a further two years training for the Higher Primary Certificate. The total cost to him or his parents for the full five years o f training will be approximately £150— a large sum o f money for an A frica n !

79. Study o f the table shown at the beginning o f this report discloses two significant fa cts :—

(a) There are but 10 qualified African women teachers employed at Protectorate Schools: a most serious matter when it is remembered that 68% o f the total school attendance is composed o f girls.

(b) 51% o f the total teaching staff is made up o f men and women who have passed Standard VI. (the full primary school course), but who have had no train­ing for the work they are attempting to do other than such help as is afforded by short Subsidiary Training Courses.

The situation commented upon in (a) is due largely to the fact that most A frican girls marry at an early age and parents are not willing to incur for their daughters the expense o f training them as teachers. The difficulty will remain, but in order to give some balance to the staffing it may be wise for the Government during the next few years to expend the greater portion o f its subsidy for teacher training on young women rather than upon men. Doubtless there will still be wastage and the best that can be hoped for is that a certain number o f married women, who have teaching qualifications, will become available for full or part time teaching work.

The training o f a married teacher and his wife under what is known as the Jeanes scheme would perhaps ease the position but such training cannot be organised as yet.

80. The situation outlined in (b) was fully discussed at a meeting o f the Board o f Advice held in November, 1937. As a result o f this discussion a sub-committee was appointed to go into the question and to make recommendations. This sub-committee met and submitted a report.

81. A study o f the recommendations made shows that part o f the scheme suggested is based on the assumption that secondary education will be established at the centres mentioned, but possibly that may not be. Nevertheless, it would be possible to arrange for continuity in the train­ing by placing student teachers under the care o f an African School Supervisor who could be in residence at a centre during the absence o f the master o f method.

The plan suggested has various merits and not the least important is that training can be suspended when a suitable number o f teachers has been trained. The master o f method could then be employed to follow up the actual teaching being done at schools by those who were under his instruction.

82. During the year three Subsidiary Training courses for both qualified and unqualified teachers were held. These courses are proving more and more popular and more and more valuable. At them invaluable assistance is given by the Principal Medical Officer, who has not only himself lectured on numerous occasions but who has granted the services o f his medical officers for similar work. As a re­sult much has been done through the teachers towards raising the general standards o f health and hygiene in our schools. Other Departments have also given generous help. To teachers who attend these courses and provide evidence that they have absorbed the instruction given it is hoped to give a special qualification entitling them, should funds be­come available, to a special salary increment.

83. The following table shows the rates o f salary scales paid to African teachers working in the Territory:

SA LA R Y SCALES : AFRICAN TEACHERS.UNQUALIFIED.

Below Standard V. £18 per annum.Standard V. and VI. £30 per annum.

QUALIFIED.N.P.L.I. or P.T.I. or Grade III. £44 per annum.N.P.L. II. or P.T. II. or Grade II. £54 per annum.N.P.L. III. or P.T. III. or Grade I. £66 per annum.Higher Primary or Equivalent £72 per annum.The salaries set out below were recommended by a sub­

committee o f the Board o f Advice when it met on November 10th., 1936. It has not yet been found possible to adopt them :—

Professionally Unqualified1 Year’s training2 Years’ training Full Certificate Higher Primary

84. In some provinces o f the Union o f South A frica teachers possessing what are known as N.P.L. I. or N.P.L. II. qualifications (one year o f teacher training and two years of teacher training respectively) are no longer recognised as trained teachers.FOOT NOTE: By arrangement with the Veterinary and Agricultural Departments it is hoped during the coming year to qualify some o f our men as teachers o f Agriculture and Animal Husbandry work.

Men. Women.£18 36 £18 30£44 : 3 : 50 £36 3 : 42£54 : 3 : 66 £42 3 : 54£66 : 3 : 120 £54 3 : 108£84 : 3 : 138 £72 3 : 120

CHAPTER VIII.

FEM ALE EDUCATION.

85. As has been stated in a previous chapter 68% o f the total school population is made up o f girls.

86. The Primary School Syllabus prescribes special work for girls but what can be done to give reality to those requirements is almost negligible.

This is partly due to the fact that there is a shortage o f women teachers, and particularly qualified women. At most o f the village schools the teaching staff consists of one man or even two men, and when such a situation exists an attempt is made to secure the services o f some village woman to visit the schools and to teach needlework, and money for this purpose is provided on estimates. Due, however, to the fact that in the past such work was neg­lected in the schools, women able to teach even simple needlework are hard to find in the African Village.

87. Even at Central Schools the staff is generally com­posed o f male teachers with one or perhaps two unqualified female teachers, and girls in the higher classes can receive but little help or guidance.

88. The Primary School Syllabus includes for girls in the eighth year class a simple course in housewifery, but those who at the end o f the year examined this subject in connection with School Leaving Certificate work agreed that it had to be classed as almost a complete failure.

89. By means o f instruction given at Subsidiary Training Courses efforts are made to equip women teachers with the ability to teach what may be termed “ girls’ prac­tical work, and during the year it is intended to hold a special course for women teachers.

90. These aids will, however, achieve but little im­provement and the suggestion is made that the services o f a competent and qualified European or A frican woman are required to organise work o f the type mentioned. Such a person could hold special training courses at convenient centres fo r women teachers and also for teachers’ wives. One realises that this Territory probably could not bear the cost o f such a person’s salary and expenses, but perhaps it might be possible to share them with the other High Com­mission Territories.

91. W ork connected with hygiene and physical train­ing is also hampered seriously by the same circumstance.

92. For reasons such as have been stated above it was not possible to engage the services o f the full number o f visiting sewing mistresses fo r whom provision was made,

but a supply o f materials has been purchased for the coming year, when a crusade is to be commenced in connection with needlework.

93. At two centres, Molepolole and Tshane, a few girls are taught pottery and skin work by competent A frican women who are masters o f these crafts.

CHAPTER IX.

PHYSICAL AND MORAL W ELFARE.

94. Throughout the school system the standard of health and community hygiene is admittedly low.

This matter receives the constant attention o f the Government and with the indefatigable assistance o f the Medical Department conditions in the schools show definite, even if but slight, improvement. As a result o f propagan­da only a very few children now arrive at school without previously having had food ; and schools and their sur­roundings are kept in a more cleanly state. His Honour the Resident Commissioner has issued instructions that propaganda directed towards the establishment o f school herds and goats at suitable centres be instituted, and that agriculture in relation to health work is to be considered as of paramount importance.

95. The total number o f W ayfarer Guides in the Ter­ritory is 2,007 and there are 1,156 Pathfinder Scouts. Re­ports written by the Organising Secretary for both these movements are attached as Appendices “ I” and “ J” . They show a picture o f progress, and thanks are due to all those who have done so much fo r the vigorous promotion o f these valuable agencies o f welfare work.

A t schools the standard o f physical training is low, and, with the aim o f improving that standard, special instruc­tion was arranged at Subsidiary Training Courses. The School Supervisors have also been instructed to pay special attention to this branch o f work during the coming year.

96. A t most centres football is played.

97. As mentioned earlier in this report circulating libraries have been established at seven centres and books written in both English and Tswana are now obtainable at these places. The books are carefully graded and amongst the contents o f each library is reading matter suitable for both young people and adults.

CHAPTER X.

MISCELLANEOUS.

98. Every effort is made by co-operating with other departments to bring about community betterment. It is practically impossible for teachers trained at institutions outside the Territory to act as satisfactory agents in the development o f ordinary village life, and so efforts are made to supply what has been to some extent lacking by securing the assistance o f other departments in lecturing, teaching, and demonstrating at Subsidiary Training Courses.

99. A t three centres schools for adults have been es­tablished but so far little has been taught at these schools other than the rudiments o f reading, writing and elemen­tary work, and an attempt is now to be made to introduce instruction related to such activities as health work, needle­work, reading circles, debates, etc.

100. With all educational work Missions are closely associated, and, as Missionaries act as Secretaries for the District School Committees, the various societies are in close contact with all school activities. Mission representation on the Board o f Advice affords Government full opportunity for intimate knowledge o f Mission views in respect o f edu­cation.

101. Cattle Post teaching work has been established m two areas and within each o f these the teacher in charge has three or four groups o f pupils under his care and these he visits at regular intervals, staying at each centre for about 10 days or a fortnight. About 170 young people are under instruction, including approximately 50 Masarwa (Bushmen). The results o f this experiment, which is still m its infancy, are encouraging and those taught display keener intelligence and greater cleanliness. School buil­dings are not insisted upon, but at two centres the pupils themselves have erected accommodation for their teacher and shelters for teaching work. The formation o f habits o f cleanliness receives special attention as do also organised games and singing.

102. There are, so far as is known, no schools in the Territory which are not known to the Government and al­though three or four o f these are not in receipt o f financial assistance from either Government or Tribal funds, they are visited whenever possible and are provided with ordinary school requisites such as registers, calendars etc.

CONCLUSION.103. The year 1937 can be regarded as a year o f ex­

pansion in several directions and especially in the direction o f enrolment at African schools, but it is the writer’s opinion

that there must be increased concentration on the improve­ment o f work attempted and in the direction o f endowing it with greater reality and meaning.

104. During the coming year every effort will be made to give the fullest possible return for the money now being expended on African primary work, by attempting to im­prove the standard o f girls’ work, by securing for use of pupils adequate supplies o f good text books— particularly books written in Tswana— and by stressing the intimate relationships that should exist between the school and the home. These improvements, it is considered, can be accom­plished without any great increase in the per caput costs as they were for the year 1937.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

105. In concluding this report full acknowledgment has to be made o f the inspiration and assistance afforded by His Honour the Resident Commissioner and the Assistant Resi­dent Commissioner, and also o f the help given by District Commissioners and Heads o f Departments: amongst the last mentioned particularly the Principal Medical Officer. Also my thanks are tendered to Mr. C. C. McLaren, Assis­tant District Commissioner, who during m y absence on overseas leave supervised the work o f my office.

Missionaries, teachers and my office staff once again gave lavishly o f their services in the attempts being made to make our Protectorate children healthier, happier and more efficient.

H. J. E. DUMBRELL,Director o f Education.

S. A.Native College, Sort Hare.

Higher Primary Certificate

Lower Primary Certificate Teacher Training

Senior Secondary Certificate(Matriculation) Junior Secondary

Certificate.Agricultural Course at Forest Hill

Junior Secondary Course at Tati

Ef&TJj T O tu-centrgs. □Technical

Training & Training in Health Work

irimary School Leaving Certificate.8th Year (Std.VI.] ?th Year (Std. V.,6th Year Jth Year 4th Year 3rd Year 2nd Year 1st Year

(Std.IV. (Std.Ill) Std.II., (Std. I. (Sub. B.I (Sub. A.

Handyman Training at Forest Hill.

(Village Schools)(Central Schools)

Special Schools.

Mote: I I * 1 Year. □ I I Cattle Post Schools |____| Schools.

28a.

Observations on Schools in Bechuanaland Protectorate, and a comparison with Basutoland.

1. Only 16 schools were inspected, all in the eastern part o f Bechuanaland, so any views submitted are neces­sarily based on conditions prevailing in that area. Also, the short time spent at each school did not permit o f an ex­haustive inspection; nor was it possible to attend any com­mittee meetings but matters were discussed with the Dis­trict Commissioners and, in some places, with the Secretaries o f the Committees.

2. English: The one point which struck me most fo r ­cibly was the high standard o f English as compared with Basutoland, particularly in the lower classes. Right from the start, great concentration is placed on the use o f English, so much in fact that Sub A and Sub B children do not know the figures— 1, 3, 6, 9, etc.— in their own language, but do in English. Of course, difficulties o f a second language (e.g. Sikalanga) may be partly responsible for this use o f English as a medium, but even where there is only one home lang­uage, the vernacular is not used to any extent. The stan­dard o f English in Standards 5 and 6 is perhaps a little higher than in Basutoland but not as much as one would expect from the difference in standard in the lower classes.

3. I admit I am somewhat doubtful o f the value o f all this English to the m ajority o f the children who learn it. Those who go on to secondary education undoubtedly need it, but the rest, especially the girls, will seldom if ever have occasion to use it. For this reason and in view o f the short time most pupils spend in school, I suggest the teach­ers should adhere far more closely to the Syllabus than they are doing at present. (See page 3— Medium o f Instruction — “ The medium of instruction up to and including StandardIII. shall be the mother tongue o f the pupils, except in the teaching of English” ). I found Hygiene being taught m English in Standards I and II., and Arithm etic from Sub B upwards in most schools. In Arithm etic it was especially noticeable that, while a mechanical sum was well worked, a problem was very poorly done, simply because it was a test o f English and the children were not able to translate correctly.

4. Setswana: The standard o f work is low. In no school did I hear Setswana well read, even in Standard II or III. The sub-standards are poorly taught chiefly through the alphabetic method— before the pupils have mastered the Setswana alphabet, they are introduced to the English one, with consequent complications. A fter about

Standard I., Setswana hardly appears to be taught at all and is used only very occasionally as a medium. This side-stepping of the vernacular is in my opinion very much to be deplored— the pupils will come to look down on their own language, they will lose their pride in it, and their traditional folk-tales, praises and proverbs will be lost to the next generation. The different orthographies in use may be partly responsible for this lack of interest in the language (or so I was told by many teachers), and as soon as funds permit all Setswana Reading Books should be printed in the new official orthography.

5. Arithmetic: A fair standard, not quite as good as Basutoland where perhaps a higher standard of work is asked for in the syllabus. However, I think the Bechuana- land Syllabus is much better adapted to local conditions than the Basutoland one is. Some teachers are making an effort to teach measures of weight and length practically, but others are still content with the tables only. The same is true in teaching fractions.

The chief fault, however, is that the teachers do not adhere to the syllabus, but follow from cover to cover whatever textbook they happen to be using. Might I suggest that Longmans’ “ Arithmetic for South African Schools” is very suitable for Standards IV., V. and VI.?

6. Printing and W riting: Many teachers do not understand “ printing” and use the printed “ a.” I suggest script cards might be tried in a few schools. The “ Sherwell” Progressive Handwriting Cards, Sets A and B, published by Philip and Tacey, Limited (about 1 /- per set, provide steady progress from script (print writing), to a clear flowing handwriting (cursive). If successful, duplicate specimens could be easily made at vacation courses by the teachers concerned.

The capital letters are introduced rather early by most teachers— end of Sub. A or in Sub. B.

7. Nature Study, General Science and Agriculture:Where these subjects had been started, the pupils were very interested and answered questions eagerly. At some schools, however, Nature Study had not yet been started as I understand instructions were issued by the Department not to begin the new course until Spring.

8. Gardening: I saw gardens at the worst time of the year when little was growing. May I suggest that girls, who will have to look after the gardens later on when they are married, should have a share in the w o r k - weeding, watering, planting out, etc.?

9. Hygiene: This subject was carefully taught in ail schools, and with very few exceptions the pupils and their clothes were clean.

10. History and Geography: Nothing is laid down in the Syllabus for Standards I and II. In the upper classes the work was only moderately known— teachers have not studied the new Syllabus sufficiently carefully nor have they schemed out their work correctly. Few realise how the teaching of geography and general science should be linked together.

11. Handwork: At some schools (Ramoutsa, Kanye Senior, Khale), the teachers are keen and every child does some form of handwork— at others however, I was simply shown last year’s models which were evidently merely kept as “ show” pieces. The leather work at Kanye and the woodwork at Mochudi are especially worth noting. When woodcarving is done, the articles made should be the correct size e.g. it is no use making yokes and skeys much too large or too small.

At Khale aloe fibre work (made from aloe fibre im­ported from Natal), is undertaken— although the specimens shown were good, it would be preferable to do handwork which made use o f indigenous products.

12. Needlework: Sewing Mistresses were asked for at Francistown, Donota and the Khama Memorial Schools.

Although the syllabus only starts with Standard I. may I suggest that the older girls in the sub-standards (for instance at the two Kanye schools), might also be taught needlework? These girls may spend only a year or two in school and it is of far more value to them later on to be able to sew than to remember a few words of English.

13. Buildings: Bechuanaland is particularly fortun­ate in that the buildings belong to the tribe and not to a mission. I suggest that where new buildings are being put up, they should, as far as possible, be moved to the edge of the stads (e.g. Serowe Central (Sub. A ) School). The question of extensions, of overcrowding of playgrounds and of sanitation would then be easier to solve.

14. Equipment and Text Books: Many schools are short of blackboards, or, where they are available, they are nearly worn out. The provision of an adequate num­ber of blackboards in all schools is therefore most urgent. All children appeared to be well supplied with slates, and in some schools with text books. The supervisors seemed uncertain whether text books are at present paid for out of Government Funds or not; if they are, it might be possible to release a small amount o f money from this scource by expecting parents to provide their children with the necessary books. Few teachers are using the English readers prescribed on Page 12 of the Syllabus. It will take time of course to get rid of the old, unsatisfactory, and often expensive readers, but, when this is possible, the

Michael West “ New Method Readers” have the advantage of being carefully thought out and graded, and above all, of being cheap.

In addition to the recommended book “ Beginning to Speak,” the pamphlet “ Schemes of Lessons in Oral English for Native Schools,” compiled by Inspector H. R. Storey, for the Cape Education Department (and published by the Cape Times), might be found useful.

In the upper standards it might be possible to use a good History Book for English reading instead of a special reader, and so save pupils the unnecessary expense of buying two books.

As mentioned in Paragraph 4, the publication of a series of Setswana reading books in the official ortho­graphy may do much to help the teacher to encourage children to become interested in their own language. Few pupils above Standard I appeared to have Setswana readers.

15. Infant Teacher Training: One direction in which Basutoland is more favoured than the Protectorate, is the standard of teaching in the sub-standards. This is pro­bably largely due to the absence of any provision for the training of Infant Teachers in Bechuanaland. In Basuto­land the course is of two years’ duration after Standard V I; the candidates are examined by the Department’s Inspectors, and a Basutoland certificate is issued. These teachers are paid a slightly higher salary (£24 per annum), than the ordinary Standard VI. teacher (£20 per annum).

Such a course needs preferably a capable woman in charge and, from the brief tour I had, I should suggest the Khale Mission School under Sister Jordan as probably the best centre.

16. Promotions in the Sub-Standards: The super­visors told me that promotions are only made at the end of the year. I cannot help feeling that this may retard some of the older pupils— in fact, this was borne out by the evidence of a “ Premer” class between Sub. A and Sub. B, which some teachers had started as their pupils had already completed the Sub. A syllabus.

I wonder whether it would not be advisable to divide Sub. A into two classes, six months each, with the proviso that these two grades should be kept in a “ fluid” state, that is, as soon as a child is able to read freely and to do the simple numbering set in the arithmetic syllabus, he should be promoted, whether he has been the full six months in the class or not; in practice this would probably mean pupils being promoted four times a year (end of each quarter). While it would possibly result in a small amount of confusion in Sub. B, due to the class not all being of the same standard, it would ensure that the many over-age

pupils are pushed on as rapidly as possible in their first year of school life.

17. Male Teacher Training W ork: I do not think the Cape Education Department would accept Tati as a training centre for Native Primary Lower work unless the staff is considerably increased and a good deal of money spent in getting buildings and equipment up to their re­quired standard. The Rhodesian Teacher Training Course I do not know at all— the others in South Africa would not be suitable on account of Afrikaans and/or the Native language. But it seems to me that it might be possible for the Protectorate to train its own teachers (two years after Standard V I), on the lines indicated in paragraph 3 of the “ Record of the Meeting of the Educational Officers of the High Commission Territories,” held in Pretoria in January, 1937.

Such a course, however, will need a much-strengthened teaching stafi, especially the appointment of a sound master of method who has had experience of Bechuanaland con­ditions (I doubt whether teacher Mokhesi has the neces­sary equipment himself for such work). Also, the con­centration would need to be much more on the vernacular than is at present the case at Tati, if these teachers are to serve the “ bush” schools.

18. I beg to place on record my thanks to the Bechu­analand Administration for enabling me to make a tour of the Protectorate schools, to the various District Com­missioners and other Officials for their assistance and hospitality, and to the Education Department staff for arranging the details of the tour for me.

F. H. PICKETT,Inspector of Schools.

Basutoland.

APPENDIX “ D”

School Report by Mr. W . T. Jackson, M.A., Acting for the Director of Education, 19th. to 24th. June,

1937.

GENERAL.

In submitting this report, I should like to place on record the great progress made in the European Schools, under the control of the present Director of Education. Owing to the fact that I acted some years ago in a similar capacity for the then Director of Education I was in a unique position to judge whether or not any advance had

been made. I found that in all respects, buildings, stan­dard o f attainment, teaching ability, equipment, and atti­tude towards inspection, there was a remarkable change for the better. Where circumstances had permitted, as at Gaberones, the conditions were as near ideal as could be desired.

It was delightful to find how keen, helpful and kindly the District Commissioners and their staffs were. All suggestions made to them were welcomed, their treatment of the teachers assists very materially in rendering what would otherwise be a hard task remarkably pleasant, and their kindness to me personally transformed a strenuous and trying tour into a delightful experience. I am most grateful to them.

In a sea of troubles, the whole educational system works well. It has to cope with two official languages of the Union of South Africa next door, with a shifting population, with a shortage of water, of fences, of equip­ment, with the vast distances from headquarters and from a wider social intercourse, and with the danger of having to engage teachers who will not remain long enough in one school to establish a fixed system. The only con­tinuity lies in the Director of Education himself who fits break to break into a continuous stream— each new teacher is tempted to find fault with the preceding one and to institute a new system.

What impressed me strongly was the apparent failure of the South African Railways and Harbours and of the Rhodesia Railways to bear a part proportionate to the advantages gained by the children o f their employees in some centres. To have all the schools under the one Director of Education is the only possible course, but very considerable assistance from those benefited seems to me to be indicated.

A most progressive move appears to be contemplated by the District Commissioner at Serowe, who has suggested a system of medical inspection of school children by the local Medical Officer every school quarter. I f some such system were introduced, and particularly if the recom­mendations of the Medical Officer were carried out, the European Schools of the Bechuanaland Protectorate would be in advance of most of the schools of neighbouring territories where medical inspection cannot be carried out so frequently. It is hardly necessary to point out that such medical inspections in the Bechuanaland Protectorate should be made in the presence of a Hospital Nurse, or a female teacher, or a local lady who should record the findings and see that they are acted on.

The attempts at creating school gardens are a pleasant feature of these schools. The difficulties are almost in­superable, but they are being tackled splendidly in some

cases. Where water and fencing are unobtainable, it seems to me that success lies in rock gardens, not the informal rock gardens that break the monotony of hedged and bordered plots, not the creation of still another kopjie where kopjies rule the landscape, but the making of rock gardens on formal lines, planted with succulents gathered by the children from the veld. Most of these plants have succeeded through their resistance to drought and to animals, and many of them produce flowers that appeal insignificant when scattered in the wilds but give most successful effects when gathered and planted systematic­ally. Once set, such gardens need a minimum of labour, are impervious to goats and other destroying agents, and will help materially to make the European schools what they can be, oases in a hot and dusty land.

Another striking feature of the schools is the growth of their libraries. In very few instances were the libraries poor, while in some they were excellent. Wheie teacher and pupils are of necessity so closely associated all day and every day as they are in these isolated schools, where good books are so hard to get, the school libraries provide a golden opportunity to benefit the whole com­munity. I found growth in this direction very healthy.

It was pleasantly surprising to find in some schools an excellent stock o f Hockey sticks and balls. Even though the number of pupils in most cases makes games of Hockey impossible, yet they provide a fine foundation for organised games, and, when the children pass out of these schools, they will find themselves not utterly ignorant of at least one of the popular pastimes of social commun­ities. In the possession of a Tenniquoit set too at least one school showed its enterprise.

Close touch with modern developments was shown in many instances by the use of equipment for handwork amongst the smaller pupils. This side could with advant­age be pressed further. It enables a teacher to devote time to the older pupils while the little ones are training their hands to work at the dictates of their brains.

Especially delightful was the enterprise of one keen teacher who had allowed children below the school going age to come under her care. She had, in fact, developed that most modern of all educational experiments, a Nursery school section of her work. That she reaps the benefit of her devotion is shown in the high quality of her work in all standards.

There is much to be done still. Some of ■ the build­ings are far from satisfactory, some of the equipment is sadly lacking, but throughout I felt that the whole system was alive, was moving and moving forward hopefully.

Present Policy of the Administration as regards European Education.

1. Our most difficult problem in regard to the primary education of European children in the Protectorate is to provide the necessary educational facilities for children scattered over an area of 275,000 square miles, i.e. there is, as nearly as can be ascertained, one European child of school going age to every 680 square miles of territory.

2. Sir Alan Pim in his report published in March, 19,35, on the “ Financial and Economic Position o f the Bech- uanaland Protectorate” made, in paragraph 112 of that report, suggestions in respect o f :—

(a) The centralization of children from isolated homes at Central Schools with boarding facilities.

This matter was discussed by Council at its last ses­sion and it was recommended that it be allowed to stand in abeyance.

(b) The organization of a system of correspondence teaching for the assistance o f children whom it is not possible to place at Central Schools.

Financial provision has been made in the estimates for correspondence teaching and a start has already been made with such work.

(c) Financial assistance for the education of certain children living in the desert at places “ Away from their homes and the depressing influence of the climate of those areas.”

Provision for children from such areas to be educated in more healthy localities is effected by bursaries and educational allowances.

3. So far as the existing schools are concerned the present policy of the Government is:—

(a) To co-operate with the educational authorities in the Union of South Africa with a view to correlating more closely— but within the limits of the financial assistance asked for in the 1938/1939 estimates— our system of Primary Education for children with those of the four Provinces of the Union of South Africa.

(b) To raise the calibre of the teachers employed at our Government Aided Schools and the quality

and type of their teaching so that it will enrich the life experience and needs of the children.

(c) To take advantage of an offer made by the Honourable J. H. Hofmeyr, Union Minister of the Interior, Education and Public Health of the Union of South Africa for the admission of suit­able pupils from our schools into Vocational Schools of the Union of South Africa.

(d) To obtain the services of an Educational expert attached to the Union Department of Education with a view to his visiting this territory and in co-operation with this Government making recommendations as to how the closer correlation of our system of education with those of the four Provinces of the Union may be effected.

4. In stating the policy outlined the following matters have not been overlooked and will be considered in the scheme for reorganization:—

(a) The education of European children in this Territory is aided but not free and that many parents desire to send their children to good schools outside the Territory.

(b) Compulsory education has not yet been introduced and serious obstacles, mainly financial, will have

to be overcome before it can be introduced.(c) The difficult position of the children of railway

employees, who are Union Nationals but whose children do not come within the educational facilities afforded by Union Provincial system of education.

(d) Teachers employed at European Schools in the Protectorate are not Government employees and do not come under Government Leave and Pension Regulations.

(e) Parents living in parts of the Territory border­ing on Southern Rhodesia would for economic and other reasons probably wish to place their children for post-primary education at schools and institutions in that country.

H. J. E. DUMBRELL,Director o f Education.

Mafeking,27/1/1938.

Collection Number: AD1715

SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR), 1892-1974

PUBLISHER: Collection Funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation

Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive

Location:- Johannesburg

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