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Saturday, Januray 6, 1973
DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG
More secondary and technical schools are being built in Hong Kong.
By the autumn of this year it is expected that 24 secondary aided schools
will be completed, thus increasing the number of places which Government will
be able to buy to achieve the present interim target of three years post-
primary education for 50 per cent of all children in the 12-14 year age group.
This was stated today by the Director of Education, Mr. J. Canning,
when he referred to the tremendous advances made in secondary education.
Mr. Canning announced that in addition two secondary technical
government schools would be opened this year.
"This is in the line with the proposition advanced by His Excellency
in his speech to Legislative Council last October that the main thrust of our
educational effort must be in secondary and technical education," the Director
said.
He reaffirmed that it was Government's ultimate objective to provide
three years secondary education for all in the 12-14 age group.
"The target is to provide 98,000 additional assisted or subsidised
secondary places by 1976," Mr. Canning said.
In answer to press questions on recent criticism on various aspects
of education, Mr. Canning said: "I respect the right to criticise. It is
only natural as education affects so many people pupils, teachers, parents
and guardians. Don't forget that more than 1,000,000 pupils are enrolled in
schools of all kinds and everybody in Hong Kong is interested in education.
"I would