THURSDAY, 4 March 1970
THE BARONESS SUMMERSKILL:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why compulsory primary education is not introduced in Hong Kong, having regard to the estimated number of 80,000 children within the ages of 6 to 11, who are not attending school.
ANSWER
(LORD SHEPHERD, MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE).
I am not sure where the Noble Lady has obtained
the figure of 80,000 children not attending school.
It is the declared aim of the Hong Kong
Government to provide places for all children
between the ages of 6 and 11 years who seek
primary education. It is also the aim to provide
free education for such children.
Progress towards free primary education continues.
Standard fees in Government and subsidised primary
schools were substantially reduced in September, 1969.
They are now 27/6d. a year (2/31d. a month) in urban
areas and 13/9d. a year in rural areas. There is
provision for the remission of fees in whole or in
part, in cases of need, and grants for text books and
stationery are made to all holders of free places.
/Substantial progress
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