1 September 1979 and for children up to the age of 15 (or until the completion of three years of junior secondary education) as from 1 September 1980. To achieve this objective, the Education Department takes steps to ensure that children within these age groups receive full time education, to prevent and investigate drop outs and with the assistance of the Labour Department, to control part-time employment. The power of the Director of Education to serve attendance orders on parents with-holding their children from school without reasonable excuse rarely needs to be exercised. The number of non-attendance cases in the primary school sector is insignificant, and amounted to about 350 children in 1979. Most of these are believed to be members of the fishing community which constitutes a particular problem with regard, to education. This is currently being examined by the Director of Education. Improved guidance to school children is provided through Student Guidance Officers and School Social Workers.
(b)
5.
Extending the prohibition of child employment
For many years, it has been illegal to employ children under the age of 14 in industrial undertakings ie, manufacturing, construction and engineering, public utilities, mining and quarrying etc. Since 1 September 1979, it has been illegal to employ children under the age of 14 in all sectors of the economy subject to the few exceptions explained later on in this paragraph. Furthermore, the minimum age for employment in all sectors will be raised to 15 as from 1 September 1980. These new provisions are designed to supple- ment the provisions of the Education Ordinance which implement the Hong Kong Government's policy of compulsory education for children up to the age of 15 or completion of Form III as from 1 September 1980. Children who have completed From III by the age of 13 (this is hardly possible under normal circumstances) may be permitted to work in non-industrial undertakings ie, restaurants. In addition, the part- time employment of children over the age of 13 in the non-industrial sector is permitted subject to certain stringent conditions aimed at protecting their health, welfare and morals.
(c) Expanding the Labour Inspectorate
6.
The number of labour inspectors in the Labour Department has increased steadily from 63 in 1972 to 240 in 1979 representing an increase of 280% over a period of seven years. As a result of this expansion, special campaigns for detecting the illegal employment of children in industrial undertakings are conducted at least three times a year, in addition to normal inspections. Particular attention is paid to industries which are more likely to employ children, and to factories which have previous records of illegal child employment. Prosecution follows automatically in all confirmed cases.
(d)
Raising the maximum fine for illegal employment of children
The maximum fine for illegally employing children was increased from HK$ 5,000 to HK$ 10,000 in 1977. The general level of fines
7.
/for