Chapter 7 is principally concerned with the controversial issue of the procedures for entry to primary school. It remains the intention, as stated in the Green Paper, to ban tests and examinations for entry to Primary 1, although it is conceded that properly conducted interviews may be permitted if required. The suggestion of limiting the proportion of discretionary places to 15% and of allocating the remaining places through the Education Department proved to be the most controversial proposal in the Green Paper with some claiming that the discretion was too great, whilst others felt that greater responsibility in the selection of pupils should be vested in the schools.
19
The chapter modifies the Green Paper proposals by permitting schools to offer up to 30% of their Primary 1 places to pupils from within the district, up to 35% to pupils from either within or without the district, having some connection with the school, whilst the remaining 35% would be allocated by the Education Department to pupils living in the district. Thus schools would be given an opportunity to allocate up to 65% of their places to pupils having some connection with the school, and 65% of the places would be allocated to pupils living in the district. It is felt that these arrangements will go a long way to meeting those who claimed that the Green Paper proposals would seriously affect schools' historical and family connections and leave too much to chance, while at the same time ensuring that children living in the district will be given an opportunity of attending the neighbourhood school of their choice.
20
It is also intended to introduce a system of record cards to monitor pupils' progress through the school system and for research purposes. To reflect public comment, these cards will not contain references to pupils' ability or conduct.
21
Chapter 8 outlines the financial assistance proposals for pre- primary services, including the fee assistance scheme whereby children from low-income families may have all, or a proportion of, their fees for child care centres and kindergartens paid by the Government. In response to comment on the Green Paper that the scale of fee assistance was too low, it is suggested that it should be increased so that the level of Government assistance will reduce by only $15 for every $100 earned by the family above the public assistance level, less allowable deductions for rent. The scale has been specifically designed to ensure that families at present eligible for a subvented place will not have to pay more in fees than they have to do at present. In response to the concern expressed by some agencies it is suggested that an element of direct financial assistance should be retained by providing non-profit -making child care centres with a subvention equivalent to 5% of the approved fees.
G.S. 166
CONFIDENTIAL #2