Report On The Administration Of The Punjab And Its Dependencies For 1883-84

· 1885 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

14 PUNIZAE ADMINISTRATION, BEBORT, 1685-84.

2_ annemneieneensennn ene

331! Mepicat and Santrary.—The year was an unusually healthy one ;

4the death-rates froya fevers and bowel “complaints being lower than in any of the

5preceding five years. Epidemic cholera was entirely absent. Four new dispen-

6saries were opened. The backwardness of the native community in subscribing

7for dispensaries and medical relief has often been noticed ; it is satisfactory to

8observe that, since the close of the year under report, large subscriptions have

9been raised for a new dispensary at Delhi. Vaccination continues to make’

10progress, and great attention has lately been paid to the subject in the city last

11named, The Municipal Committees of Amritsar and Lahore have applied td have

12the compulsory provisions of the law extended to these towns. It is gratifying to

13learn that, in the way of vaccination, a good deal has been done in many of the

14Native States of the Punjab.

1532. Epucation.—The report of the Education Commission was published

16towards the end of 1883, and during the first three.months of 1884 the orders of

17the Lieutenant-Governor upon the recommendations of the Commission were

18communicated to the Director of Public Instruction. The year was one of sub-

19stantial progress in education. The number of educational institutions rose from

202,133 to 2,227, and of scholars from 116,070 to 125,906. This shows an

21inerease of nearly 10,000 above the numbers of 1882-83, which were the highest

22previously reached in the Punjab. The increase has been greater in Secondary

23than in Primary Schools, and far greater in Government than in aided institu-

24tions. The number of pupils at Anglo-Vernacular Schools and the numbers

25Jearning English are inereasing faster than the numbers at Vernacular Schools

26and learning vernacular only. The improvement recorded has been general,

27extending to almost all districts of the Province and almost all classes of scheols.

28The numbers in Secondary. Schools increased by 14 per cent., the total number

29z Primary Schools rose by 43 per cent., and of scholars reading in Primary

30chools by 8°3 per cent. It is tie that the education afforded is becoming

31better as well as more widely spread. A moderate grant-in-aid from Provincial

32Revenues brought about the opening of 103 new Primary Schools in 20 districts,

33The value of education is evidently being more fully realized by high

34and low amongst the native community. In female education, the Sikhs set

35the best example. It is hoped that, as time goes on, Muhammadans will

36avail themselves more and more of the advantages of higher education, and

37not allow themselves to be beaten in the competition of life by others who have

38more clearly perceived the advantage of educational qualifications.

3933. Tse PonsaB University.—This important institution began to take

40its proper place as the Board of Education for the Province. During the year

41the ‘Senate was much occupied with the Statutes and Regulations which have

42been sanctioned by Government. As was to be expected, candidates have

43been attracted to the Punjab Examinations for degrees. The numbers in the

44Yahore Government College increased by 21 per cent. and in the Entrance

45‘class by 32 per cent. Controversies have arisen about the work of the

46Oriental College, but proposals have been accepted by the Senate which, it is

47, will once for all set this valuable College on a satisfactory footing.

48Paring the year the University took over from the Educational Department

49‘the conduct of the Middle School Examination.