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private secondary schools over the next six years. This concept is sound in principle, but the pace is slightly slow. In fact, it is clearly stated in paragraph 2.10 of the Education Commission Report No. 1 that before the introduction
of the JSEA system in 1981, many people were sceptical about this system of selection and allocation of F. 4 places and
suggested to have it abolished. In view of the adverse effects that JSEA would have on students and the need for senior
secondary education in our society, the Government should have made long-term arrangements years ago, for instance, adopting
corresponding measures in the school building programme. The
Government's failure to do so indicates that it has not taken
public opinion into consideration properly on the one hand, and
on the other hand, it lacks long-term planning for subsidizing senior secondary (F. 4, F. 5 and prevocational) education. Judging from the present situation, I think that to build new secondary schools and pre-vocational schools is the most
effective long-term measure to phase out the JSEA. I hereby urge the Government to speed up the building of the 24 schools proposed in the Report and to bring forward the date of completion of the 10 schools under Stage V (Phase II) of the Secondary Schools Building Programme to 1989 so as to alleviate the pressure that has been imposed on the pupils by the JSEA as
soon as possible.
IX:
The issue of civic education, mentioned in Chapter
"Tasks Ahead" of the Report, is of great concern to me. As the younger generation in Hong Kong today will have to face the political change which is to come, it is a matter of
foremost importance and urgency that they should be properly
instilled with a sense of civic awareness. I hope that the
Commission would give priority to this issue and draw up a comprehensive plan as soon as possible so that it will serve as a guide-line for the promotion of civic education in primary
and secondary schools.