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H K |香港政府| GIS 新聞處
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Sunday, June 17, 1973
PRH 7
GOVERNMENT HELPS OVERSEAS CHINESE
The government is to increase its subsidy to Chinese literacy
classes run by the local Chinese community in Britain as one way of retaining
the cultural identity of their children.
The classes, which operate on a part-time basis with emphasis on
recognition of characters, were established in London and other major cities
through the efforts of the local chamber of Chinese traders.
However, due to a lack of funds their development has been hampered
and the Hong Kong Government Office in London has received representations
for some form of financial assistance.
At present, government help is limited to the provision of textbookis
for classes in London and Middles-borough.
Under the expanded scheme, the government will provide a subsidy
of up to £10 sterling per class per week to assist towards the cost of the
teacher's salary and such things as rent, as well as donating textbooks.
The estimated cost each year of the expanded scheme is about 340,000.
Based on a survey carried out in 1968, the estimated number of
Chinese people living in Britain was between 30,000 and 35,000 of whom about
90 per cent came from Hong Kong.
According to the Hong Kong Commissioner in London, Mr. M. Wright, one of the main problems facing the Chinese community is the difficulty of retaining their cultural identity and of preventing their children from becoming ignorant of the Chinese language.
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Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191