468 NATIVE EDUCATTDX IX THE TRANSKEI. 



2. The teachino- of English as a major subject. 



3. The teaching^ of Kafir as a major subject. 



3. RELIGIOUS TEACH IXC;. 



A further point claims our attention in this connection, and 

 that is the ]ilace of relio^ious teaching- in the curriculum of our 

 native schools. After my exjjerience of native life, and s])eak- 

 ing as a South African, I am convinced that the one great 

 obstacle to advance is the moral one Temptation of a sexual 

 nature is the great barrier reef on which Christian teaching and 

 effort is too often broken ; and before a native is converted the 

 teaching of the missionary must break through this barrier. And 

 if we dare not leave a large and unenlightened heathen com- 

 munity to practise their evils within our borders, neither do we 

 dare educate them away ifrom their heathen ideas and customs, 

 leaving them free to per])etuate their evils with the impunity 

 which comes with increased knowledge. 



It is therefore essential to present the Christian standards 

 of morality as part of the inseparable fabric c^f true education. 

 And those who have investigated the situation in its several 

 a.spects have again and again urged the necessitv of Christian 

 teaching in native schools. The authority of Government com- 

 missions will hardl}' be called in question, and at a later stage I 

 propose to give full quotations of the findings of various com- 

 missions. I am content here to point out the need for adequate 

 religious instruction in our native schools. So long as present 

 conditions remain this subject will not be seriously treated by the 

 teachers, or the children, and the logical step is iov the Educa- 

 tion Department to take such steps as may be necessary to place 

 the subject in the school curriculum, and to give ])ractical effect 

 to the pronouncements which hitherto have been made with all 

 seriousness, and quietly left to be overtaken by obli\ ion. 



VI. Thi". Attexdaxci:. 



1. NlTMr.KR ATTEXDIXC. SCHOOLS. 



The last 23 years ha\e seen a \ery great developnicnl educa- 

 tionally in the Cai)e Province, and some of the most striking 

 results are to be found in connection with the native scliools. 



In 1915 it was officially estimated* that the native (and 

 coloiu'ed ) population in the Territories amounted to 923.916. 

 and as at the second (juarUT im less than 65.138 children, 

 representing 7 per cent, of the i)opulation. attended Government- 

 aided schools. Thcsi' figures were an increase of 2.2 per cent, 

 on the figures of HJ04. b^or purposes of com])arison I should 

 state that out of a white population of 5H3.(S6S, in 1915, some 

 I03,90<; children, representing a ])ercentage of 17.8 per cent, of 

 the white population, were atteiuling school. 



'•' Education Gaceiie. 2"/ Jan.. T916. p. 709. Sec also p. 481. post. 



