(5)
EDUCATION
(a)
General
34
1
67.
A vital element in the economic and social
progress of any society is the education of the future
generation. Even in purely economic terms a good educational system is an investment which produces high returns. But it is much more than that. Properly developed, education is also one of the main foundations of a civilised and tolerant community.
68.
For several years the aim of Hong Kong's educational policy has been to provide every child with the best education from which he or she is capable of benefiting, at a cost that parents and the community can afford.
69.
This has meant that our school system has had to grow extremely fast. Thirty years ago education was a privilege available only to a small minority. Less than twenty years ago the Government's immediate policy objective was to provide a subsidized primary school place for every child. Less than ten years ago Hong Kong achieved the provision of nine years basic education for all.
percent Today, with education taking up 18 of the annual
10
/budget