2.15
However, there is a strong body of opinion which considers that child care centres would not adequately satisfy the needs of all children in the 3-4 age groups. Consideration will accordingly be given to allowing a number of kindergartens to take in children of this age group. However, the kindergartens would have to satisfy accommodation, equipment and staffing specifications equivalent to those in child care centres. Such classes would be specially registered under the Education Ordinance and the Education Department would in consultation with the Social Welfare Department monitor their standards very carefully and close them if they failed to reach the required standards. Operators of suitable existing kindergartens with 'baby classes' will be required to phase them out within 4 years as described above or of meeting the enhanced standards within the same time period.
THE PROPOSED AGE STRUCTURE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLING
2.16
The age range for pre-primary care and education is dependent on the age of entry to primary school. However, before deciding on this age of entry a study was made of practices in other countries. The countries studied included Japan, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States and Canada. It was found that there were wide differences in the practices of the countries for which information was available. The age at which compulsory education began, ranged from 5-7 years, and the length of the primary course varied from 5 to nearly 7 years. The majority of countries studied appeared to favour a starting age of 6 with a primary course of 6 years.
2.17
Basically there are three considerations which affect any decision on these matters:
2.18
(a)
(b)
(c)
the length of primary school course which would be most beneficial educationally;
the age of entry which would be most beneficial to the child, bearing in mind the differences between kindergartens and primary schools; and
the effect of any change in the secondary school leaving age resulting from decisions taken on the entry age and length of the primary course.
The Government therefore looked into the advantages and dis- advantages of reducing the primary course to 5 years, or increasing it to 7 years, and it looked at the effect of reducing the entry age to 5 years.
It did not consider raising the entry age to 7 years as this was tried unsuccessfully in Hong Kong some years ago. However before looking at these alternatives the school leaving ages at each level of secondary education were studied and it appeared that while in terms of the minimum age of employment the leaving ages could be lowered, there seemed to be no advantage in selecting one of the options that raised them even higher than their present levels. The combination of 7 years primary education without lowering the entry age was not therefore further considered.
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