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PRESENT STATUS OF GOVERNMENT EDUCATION 265the scheme into operation in the different districts at thesame time, at the end of eight years a system of universaleducation will be fully established. But for lack of fundsit was decided to first introduce the system in Cliihli as anexperiment. It is interesting to note that Shantung hastaken the matter up. Taking 400,000,000 as the population of the country, there ought to be 40,000,000 childrenof school age. Supposing that each school has one hundred pupils, 400,000 schools should be opened. Allowing$500 for the expenses of each school, $200,000,000 willbe required for the whole country. The Government proposes to supply one-fourth of this amount, and the otherthree-fourths is to be raised locally. The great difficultyconfronting the scheme is lack of funds; but the Governmentis prepared for considerable difficulty and discouragement.Unfortunately, just now the Government has need of everydollar for military purposes, and so it is not likely thatmuch can be done in the meantime.InsectorsThe .Ministry of Education issued regubitionsraising the qualifications of school inspectors, and also for their guidance inaccrediting teachers and rating the efficiency of the differentinstitutions. In order to encourage female education,the Government appointed four women as school inspectors, who have been assigned to different parts of thecountry.The President approved the proposal made by the Minister of Education that primary school teachers should beexamined. Arrangements were made to examine the teachersof Peking and vicinity. The examinations were conductedby a special examining board with the co-operation of theMinistry of Education. Several hundred teachers passedthe examinations successfully and received certificates. Theteachers were examined in education, Chinese language andliterature, Chinese history and geography, mathematics andscience. Those who received a mark of sixty per cent andover were given teacher s certificates, but those who fellbelow this mark have to undergo training for six months,at the end of which time they will be further examined.