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Measures to make junior secondary education:
(1) Universal
98.
The coming year will witness a milestone in the
development of education in Hong Kong. From September 1978 there will
be a secondary school place for every primary school leaver. There
will be no more heartache for children losing their chance of secondary
education through failure in the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination
because there will be places for all. To make this possible 51,480
additional junior secondary places will have been provided since the
policy was announced in February 1976 and some 54 new schools constructed.
It is proposed to build a further 48 schools (18 more than I envisaged
last year) so as to ensure places of a proper standard for all in these
forms, and to improve regional distribution.
(ii) Compulsory
99.
The public and licnourable Kembers have long looked forward
to this objective on which, much offort and money have been and still
must be spent. I feel convinced that it is not the wish of this Council
or the public that my of the benefit of the places now provided
should be lost to any childr... throws. the indifference of parents
or pressure to talk up full-time employment instead.
therefore to introduced:
Legislation will
First, to make junior secondary education compulsory up to a
child's 15th birthday or until the Form III course has boon
completed, if that is earlier. The powers of the Director of
Education under the Education Ordinance to serve a school
attendance order will be extended to 12 to 13 year old children
with effect from September 1979 and to 14 year-olds from
/September 1980...