TITLE VI.-Final provisions. ART. 55. Central Americans who may not have acquired Honduranean nationality in accordance with article 8 of the Constitution shall be subject to this law. ART. 56. The requirements of this law shall not change in any manner the immunities and guaranties which international law and the treaties or conventions which the Government may have celebrated, give to the diplomatic or consular corps, nor the rights which in these same treaties are particularly conceded to the subjects or citizens of a nation with whom made. ART. 57. This law shall become operative from the day of its publication. CHAPTER XIV. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, LAWS RELATING TO EDUCATION, SCHOOL SYSTEMS. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. Public instruction comprises three divisions-primary, secondary, and higher. Primary instruction is free and compulsory and entirely secular, for children between the ages of 7 and 15 years. Secondary instruction is carried on by means of high schools in the several cities and towns of the Republic. These schools are college annexes and provide normal training for those graduates who intend to teach. Higher instruction is furnished at the colleges and institutes in Tegucigalpa, Santa Rosa, Santa Barbara, Danli, and Choluteca. Primary schools.-The following list shows the number of primary schools for both sexes (including private schools) in each Department in 1900: In the year 1894 there were 449 schools, as compared with 627 in 1900, or an annual increase of about 30. The entire number of graduates who have received instruction is over 30,000. This number was only 16,072 in 1894. During the economic year 1901-2 there were established 851 schools, of which 508 were for boys, 280 for girls, and 63 mixed. The register of pupils shows 18,771 boys and 11,254 girls on the rolls. The average attendance was 22,745, i. e., 13,960 boys and 8,785 girls. The attendance at the secondary and normal schools was 212 pupils. The normal school for teachers, under Government subvention, has on its rolls 144 students. The girls' high school in Tegucigalpa has an attendance of 71. Secondary instruction.-Secondary instruction in 1901-2 was given in 13 colleges and 1 private institution. The attendance at these colleges was 646 students, 55 of whom obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. These colleges are situated in Comayagua, Santa Rosa, Juticalpa, Santa Barbara, Danli, Yuscaran, La Paz, Marcala, and San Pedro Sula, and are all subventioned by the State. Higher instruction.-There are 135 students in the Institute of Jurisprudence and Political Science, in the School of Medicine and Surgery in Tegucigalpa, and in the School of Law in Comayagua. The National Library contains 6,854 volumes. SCHOOL OF ARTS. The manual training school is situated in that part of Tegucigalpa known as Comayaguela. It was established in 1890 through the efforts of President BOGRAN. In this establishment are manufactured such articles as can be made there for the Government's use. Private work is performed by apprentices under the direction of a superintendent and division chiefs. There are mechanical, electric, shoemaking, carpenter and cabinet, foundry, tannery, smithy, tailor, saddlery, and wagon departments. Eighty men and boys are employed in the school; there are 17 internes, 30 externes with salary and 33 without salary. The manufactured products are sold at retail for the maintenance of the school. The value of the work turned out during the past two years is as follows. EXPENDITURE ON GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS. In 1900-1901 the expenditure on Government schools was 111,713.41 pesos; in 1901-2, 201,048.51 pesos; in 1902-3, 116,001.11 pesos. Budgets for public instruction, 1895 to 1904. 1895-96 1896-97 1897-98 1898-99 1899-1900 1900-1901 1901-1902 1902-1903 1903-1904 Pesos. 156, 696 172,000 198, 200 201, 176 202, 976 235, 800 247,870 247,800 247,800 |