í
- A5 -
repetition; children should not enter a secondary school
at such an age as to necessitate their remaining at school
over the age limit of 20 years.
(v) School fees charged in government and aided schools should
be increased, with increases in overall permitted limits
of remission.
(vi) Encouragement should be given to the use of rural areas
in the New Territories for recreation and field studies;
the entry to larger schools should be increased by using
some of the specialist rooms as form bases; aided schools
should be permitted and encouraged to provide a high standard of
finish in school buildings to reduce subsequent maintenance
costs; financial provision should be made for the establishment
and replenishment of libraries in all secondary schools.
(vii) Plans should be made for the necessary provision of places
for a full secondary education in the New Territories to meet
the developing needs of the area.
(viii) The Inspectorate and the teacher training colleges should
pursue an active policy to secure a reduction in the volume
of written work and testing in schools; the size of primary
classes should be reduced from 45 to 40; staffing ratios should
be revised (from 1.2 to 1.1 teachers per class in primary, from 1.4 to 1.3 in Forms/Middle IV and from 2 to 1.6 in sixth forms); additional staff should be permitted for split classes.
(ix) A ceiling figure should be placed on the number of expatriates
employed by the government in education and they should be
restricted to specified fields of education.
(x)
Salary scales should be the same for teachers in government,
grant and subsidised schools; increments should be based on
training and experience and should not be limited; new salary
scales and a scheme of allowances for posts of special
responsibility are requested for adoption.