52
EDUCATION
schools, while other schools (with few exceptions) are required to be registered under the ordinance, thus providing the Director with the necessary powers to ensure that acceptable standards are maintained.
Pre-primary Education
There are 778 private kindergartens in Hong Kong providing education for child- ren in the three to six age group. These institutions are not maintained or run by the government but are registered with the Education Department and supervised by the inspectorate. The government gives assistance in the form of grants of Crown land to reliable bodies; exemption from payment of rates for non-profit making kindergartens; the allocation of kindergarten premises in public housing estates; and the provision of teacher training and further education facilities. It also makes freely available pro- fessional advice to teachers, school managers, parents and members of the public.
Primary Education -
The great majority of primary schools use Chinese as the language of instruction. English is studied as a second language from the second year of the course. Seven primary schools, including five operated by the government, cater for children whose first language is English.
There is a downward trend in the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools. as a result of a general decline in birth rate. The total primary day school enrolment in September 1974 was 678,563, compared with 705,207 in the previous year. In addition, 18,424 pupils attended primary night schools and a limited number of special afternoon classes. During the year, 5,474 new primary places were provided, com- pared with 17,260 in the previous year. As the target of providing a government or subsidised primary place for every child of primary school age has already been reached, further provision of school places will be geared mainly to the needs of developing areas.
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Since September 1971, education has been free in all government Chinese primary schools and in the great majority of aided primary schools. In the few aided primary schools where fees continue to be charged, fee remission of up to 20 per cent of the total enrolment may be awarded to meet cases of genuine hardship. To lighten further the burden of needy parents, a textbook and stationery grant of $30 per pupil each year, is available to 20 per cent of pupils enrolled in government and aided primary schools.
The Education Ordinance 1971 gives the Director of Education powers to enforce school attendance where parents appear to be unnecessarily withholding their children of primary school age. These powers will be exercised by the Director only after a care- ful investigation of the family's circumstances and the needs of the child. When an attendance order is made, parents have the right of appeal to a specially constituted board of review.
Since June 1968, the administration of primary schools has been decentralised and under the present arrangement, there are seven administration areas-two in Hong Kong, three in Kowloon and two in the New Territories.