EDUCATION

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There are no government kindergarten schools, but there is an increasing demand for this type of education for children aged three to six. Private kindergarten schools, registered with the Educa- tion Department and advised by the Inspectorate, rose in number from 412 in the previous year to 518 in September, and enrolment increased from 56,520 to 69,069.

Twenty-two special schools cater for blind, deaf, physically handicapped and mentally handicapped children. In September, some 200 physically handicapped children were attending ordinary government primary schools and six additional experimental classes for slow-learning children were opened during that month. A pre-school centre run by the Special Education Section for children with hearing impairment and speech defects came into operation in January, 1967. An introductory course on speech therapy in the classroom was organized in the summer 1967. A braille printing press operated by the Government Printing Department, under the direction of the Education Department, produces textbooks in Cantonese braille.

SECONDARY EDUCATION

There are four types of secondary schools: Anglo-Chinese gram- mar schools, Chinese middle schools, secondary technical schools and secondary modern schools. The 204 Anglo-Chinese grammar day schools have 135,784 pupils. They offer a five-year course in the usual academic subjects leading to the Hong Kong English School Certificate | examination. Instruction is in English and Chinese is taught as a second language. This type of secondary education is in demand because a good knowledge of spoken and written English is desirable for entry to the professions, government service and commerce. Successful school certificate candidates may enter the sixth form for two years to prepare themselves for entrance to the University of Hong Kong or to the Chinese University of Hong Kong. They may also study for the GCE (University of London), at both ordinary and advanced levels. In addition there are 28,501 pupils attending tutorial or evening classes where in- struction in secondary level subjects, mainly English language, is offered.

The 116 Chinese middle day schools accommodate 48,707 pupils and offer a five-year course in the usual academic subjects leading

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