Page:General report on the public instruction in the lower provinces of the Bengal Presidency (1844-45).djvu/12

2 establishment of Vernacular schools, or the improvement of those which already exist, in the more populous towns throughout the Presidency.

4th. The preparation of a complete series of Vernacular class books.

5th. The introduction of a more uniform and systematic course of study, and the improvement of discipline at all the Government Institutions.

The Balance at credit of the Education Fund at the close of last year arising partly from the increased payments by scholars for their tuition, partly from private contributions, and partly from the saving effected in consequence of vacancies in authorised establishments, was so considerable as to allow of the investment of Rs. 75,000 in Government securities, the interest of which adds Rs. 3,000 to the annual resources of the department.

The School at Patna has been erected into a Central College for the Behar Province, and a Zillah School has been established at Mozufferpore. Both these objects, as well as the foundation of Vernacular Schools in each of the regulation districts, have been attained with the funds at the disposal of the Local Government, and no additional grant of public money has been required for the purpose. The Patna College and Mozufferpore School will be more particularly noticed in their proper place, and the correspondence regarding the Vernacular Schools will be found in the Appendix No. 2. Numerous applications have been submitted to the Government by the Inhabitants of Towns and Villages in the interior for the establishment of Schools, and these have been transferred for consideration and disposal to the Local Revenue Authorities.

Great inconvenience and abuse having been found to attend the practice of allowing each Institution a certain monthly sum for the purchase of books at the discretion of the Local Management, it was determined with the advice of the Council of Education, to revert to the previously existing system of supplying books by means of a Central Agency at the Presidency. The correspondence connected with this subject, was circulated to the Local Committees, and will be found in the Appendix No. 1, (Circular No. 24, dated 20th November 1844.)

On the 10th October, the Governor-General passed the following Resolution:

The Governor-General having taken into his consideration the existing state of education in Bengal, and being of opinion that it is highly desirable to afford it every reasonable encouragement by holding out to those who have taken advantage of the opportunity of instruction afforded to them, a fair prospect of employment in the public service, and thereby not only to reward individual merit, but to enable the State to profit