5.
6.
Some tangible form of recognition for completion of three years of secondary education should be given. (Paragraph 54)
The establishment of an Independent Examining Authority is endorsed. (Paragraph 55)
CHAPTER V
FEES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
56. We have been asked to advise on the extent to which, bearing in mind the circumstances of Hong Kong, secondary education should be provided free of charge.
57. We feel that consideration of this should begin with a statement of the present fees charged in Government and fully-aided schools, as well as private schools, and the scheme of fee remission currently operating in Government and fully-aided secondary schools.
Fees in Government and Aided Schools
58. The present urban secondary fees of $400 (Forms I-V) / $450 (Form VI) were recommended by the Education Commission in 1963 and endorsed by the White Paper in 1965. They were introduced in government secondary schools from September of that year. A modest increase in fee remission rates was implemented at the same time and this is shown at Appendix VA.
59. In the aided sector, although new schools brought onto subsidy since 1965 charge the revised standard fees of $400/$450, it has not yet been possible to introduce changes in the fees or remission levels of those aided schools which were operating before 1965. Those schools have retained their former fee structure of $320/$360 and fee remission rates of 40%/45%. The introduction of the new Unified Code of Aid envisages the introduction of a standard fee of $400 into those schools which still have the old standard fee of $320/$360.
60. In addition to tuition fees, tong fai is charged in aided schools to meet the share of their expenditure not covered by government subventions. The tong fai ranges from $60 to $220. The standard tong fai recommended in the White Paper 1965 is $60 in Forms I-V and $100 in Form VI but reductions in existing tong fai have not yet been made.
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