す
CYPHER/CAT A.
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
RECEIVED IN
TELEGRAM NUMBER 126REGISTRY No.51
25 FEBRUARY 1970.
25 Pcb 1970
LART
HKK 9/1
REF.
$38
ON
CONFIDENTIAL
MEKT
REF.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION BY BARONESS SUMMERSKILL ON WEDNESDAY 4
MARCH.
I SUGGEST THAT YOU MIGHT REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-
'AT PRESENT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED AIM IS THE PROVISION
OF FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR ALL. A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO THE
IMPOSITION OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION IS THAT NO PRACTICAL OBSTACLE
OTHER THAN WILFUL PARENTAL NEGLECT STANDS IN THE WAY OF A CHILD
ATTENDING SCHOOL. THIS POSITION DOES NOT YET OBTAIN IN HONG KONG.
WHILE NEITHER THE OVERALL AVAILABILITY OF PLACES NOR THE INABILITY
TO MEET FEES ARE SERIOUS OBSTACLES, THERE ARE NEVERTHELESS SPECIAL
LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH WOULD MAKE THE IMPOSITION OF COMPULSORY
PRIMARY EDUCATION IMPRACTICABLE AT THE PRESENT MOMENT THE MOVEMENT.
OF LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE INTO NEW HOUSING ESTATES DOES RESULT IN
SOME CHILDREN BEING TEMPORARILY WITHHELD FROM SCHOOL. MOREOVER WHILE
PARENTS IN GENERAL NEED LITTLE OR NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SEND CHILDREN
TO SCHOOL, THERE IS SOMETIMES A TENDENCY TO WITHDRAW OLDER CHILDREN
IN ORDER TO LOOK AFTER YOUNG CHILDREN TO FREE PARENTS OR EVEN
OLDER CHILDREN TO WORK TO AUGMENT THE FAMILY INCOME. THE FACT THAT
MANY PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE FOR LACK OF SPACE TO BE RUN ON A
BI-SESSIONAL SYSTEM WOULD, WITH OTHER FACTORS, MAKE THE TASK OF
ENFORCEMENT BY ATTENDANCE OFFICERS ONE OF EXTREME DIFFICULTY.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIGURE OF 80,000 QUOTED IS NOT CLEAR, NOR THE
SOURCE FROM WHICH IT CAME. IF IT IS INTENDED TO REFER TO THE NUMBER
OF CHILDREN NOT OBTAINING ANY PRIMARY EDUCATION IT IS VERY GREATLY
EXAGGERATED. IF IT MEANS THE NUMBERS WITHIN THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP
/NOT ATTENDING
CONFIDENTIAL