7
A few comments advocated the continuation of baby classes for 3-year-olds in kindergartens, and it is now proposed to permit their operation provided the classes are registered under the Child Care Centres Ordinance, and conform to its standards.
8
Standards of space and of teaching staff are prescribed in this chapter. For kindergartens, the Green Paper proposal to restrict to 30, the number of children who may be supervised by one teacher, is restated. It is intended to phase in this reduction in the maximum class size over four years starting in September 1982.
9
The chapter also restates the Green Paper proposal to reduce the maximum class size in public sector primary schools to 40 while allowing 35 for schools adopting the "Activity Approach". It is hoped to make further reductions later subject to sufficient classrooms and trained teachers becoming available. It points out the intention to phase in these new standards, starting with the 1983 Primary 1 entry, but stresses that the legal maximum class size of 45 should be retained for the convenience of the private sector.
10
The chapter concludes by reaffirming the Green Paper intention to build, as a pilot project, two or three new Government primary schools where there is a demand for places in such schools.
11
Chapter 3 deals with the standards of pre-primary services. It considers that child care centre services are generally satisfactory but notes the need for additional staff to inspect the increased number of centres, to implement the financial assistance scheme and to provide more training to meet the greater demand. In respect of kindergartens it proposes releasing teachers from their schools to work on curriculum development, making it obligatory for kindergartens to have certain basic furniture and equipment, and a systematic training scheme for teachers. It proposes making it obligatory for kindergartens to employ a proportion of suitably trained teachers, starting with not less than one in each kindergarten in 1984 rising to 90% by 1992. The Advisory Inspectorate will need to be strengthened to assist in the implementation and supervision of these measures.
12
The proposals in this chapter follow those in the Green Paper
very closely.
G.S. 166
CONFIDENTIAL
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