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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-These 8 clinics, Mr. Chairman, if I might reply, these 8 clinics are in the actual process of being allocated at the moment and the 3 charity clinics are also in action so that that will bring 11 in the estate and a total of 16 available to the inhabitants of the estate.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Approximately when will the 8 clinics be operational?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:—Within the very near future, to the best of my information Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-What is meant by very near future, 6 months or 6 years?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:--I would say that there is a slight over-estimate, I would say more likely 6 weeks at the most.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you.
(10) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
(a) Is the Commissioner for Resettlement aware of the severe shortage of kindergarten places available for children in the Tsz Wan Shan Resettlement Estate?
(b) Is he aware that the newly opened Tsz Wan Shan Kaifong Kindergarten School is only partially able to meet the needs of the children of eight blocks of this estate?
(c) Could the Commissioner for Resettlement please state whether there are any plans to provide kindergarten school facilities to meet the needs of the children of the other fifty-three blocks of the estate?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
I agree that the number of kindergarten places in Tsz Wan Shan Estate is insufficient to meet the needs of the estate. However, there is no agreed ratio for the provision of kindergartens in resettlement estates by which to measure the probable shortfall. The estate at present has 2 kindergartens (one run by the Kaifong and the other by the Salvation Army). These have a capacity for 648 pupils in two sessions.
Of the 58 completed blocks at Tsz Wan Shan, 38 are of the Mark III type and 20 are of the Mark IV or Mark IVA type. There will be a further 5 blocks of the Mark IV type when the estate is completed.
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The two existing kindergartens are housed in Mark III type blocks since this type of accommodation can be converted for use as kindergartens. There is at present no further space in Mark III blocks which can be used for kindergartens except for 2 ground floor rooms adjoining the Kaifong kindergarten. It may be possible to offer these rooms to the Kaifong to enable it to accommodate an additional 64 pupils in 2 sessions.
The structural design of Mark IV, IVA and V blocks precludes their conversion to kindergartens which would meet the requirements of the departments concerned. It is too early to say whether an alternative solution can be found which will fit in with the Government's policy on education.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, as the Commissioner is aware, the Kaifong Association in Tsz Wan Shan is planning accommodation for nearly 600 of the 648 pupils in the kindergarten that is operated by the Kaifong, also that this school has sought to obtain students from only 8 blocks of the 50 blocks. What steps does the Commissioner consider can be taken to provide kindergarten accommodation for the rest of the 50 blocks of the estate?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-That is a problem and in fact I'm not sure that I can give you an answer at the moment.
There are various proposals that are under consideration and I hope that a paper will be put before the Select Committee within the very near future which, in this case, I hope means within 3 weeks. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-As a supplementary, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Commissioner what arrangements are being made in new estates, not necessarily Tsz Wan Shan, where the estate has blocks of Mark IV or more recent design for such things as kindergartens and other facilities that cannot be accommodated in these blocks.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-The proposal for these new type blocks is to have the self-contained welfare block, which will be standing on its own.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, does Mr. ASERAPPA mean that the kindergartens might go into these welfare blocks?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I understand that they are not eligible, no.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, as supplementary on this answer, is Tsz Wan Shan estate actually fully completed building-wise?
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