CONFIDENTIAL
~2.
3.
I SUGGEST YOU REPLY THAT THIS LARGE NUMBER OF VACANCIES
IN PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN WANG TAU HOM REFLECTS THE ATTRACTIONS
OF FREE PLACES AND LOW FEES IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBSIDIZED SCHOOLS
AND ALSO THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE TOWARDS OUR AIM OF
PROVIDING A FREE OR AIDED PLACE IN A GOVERNMENT OR SUBSIDIZED
PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR ALL CHILDREN WHO WANT IT. I EXPECT THAT THIS
AIN WILL BE ACHIEVED DURING 1970/71 WHEN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
PLACES PLANNED IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBSIDIZED PRIMARY SCHOOLS
(695,000) WILL EXCEED THE TOTAL OF ALL CHILDREN OF PRIMARY
SCHOOL AGE (650,000)
4. NO UP TO DATE FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE NUMBER OF WANG
TAU HOM CHILDREN OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL
BUT THE NUMBER WAS ESTIMATED AT 1,500 IN MAY 1968. IT IS AN
ESTABLISHED FACT THAT SOME CHILDREN DO NOT ENTER PRIMARY SCHOOL
UNTIL ONE OR MORE YEARS AFTER THE MINIMUM AGE OF SIXC THE PROP-
ORTION WAS 30% THIS YEAR) AND A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE
1,500 WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE ENTERED PRIMARY SCHOOL IN
SEPTEMBER 1968.
5. WITH THE AID OF THE LOCAL KAIFONG ASSOCIATION A DETAILED
SURVEY IS NOW BEING CARRIED OUT OF ALL WANG TAU HOM CHILDREN
NOT ATTENDING PRIMARY SCHOOL. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY WILL BE
EVALUATED BY THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS WITH
A VIEW TO ASSISTING FAMILIES IN NEED OF HELP, IF THIS SURVEY
INDICATES A NEED FOR FURTHER AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES IN
THIS PART OF KOWLOON THE NECESSARY MEASURES WILL AT ONCE BE
SET IN TRAIN.
CONFIDENTIAL
QUESTION 2.
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