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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974
EDUCATION WHITE PAPER TABLED IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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NINE YEARS OF SUBSIDIZED GENERAL EDUCATION IS TO BE PROVIDED FOR EVERY CHILD IN HONG KONG BY 1979. DURING THIS PERIOD, ALL CHILDREN SHOULD FOLLOW A COMMON COURSE OF GENERAL EDUCATION.
THIS MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT IS STATED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON +SECONDARY EDUCATION IN HONG KONG DURING THE NEXT DECADE.+ THE DOCUMENT WAS TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THE PROVISION BY 1979 OF SUFFICIENT PLACES IN FORMS
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1 TO 3 FOR 100 PER CENT OF THE 12 - 14 AGE GROUP AND IN FORMS 4 AND 5 FOR 40 PER CENT OF THE 15 16 AGE GROUP WILL BE DONE IN A CONSIDERABLE SHORTER TIME THAN ENVISAGED IN THE GREEN PAPER,+ THE WHITE PAPER POINTED OUT.
IT STRESSED THAT THE FINANCIAL AND OTHER COMMITMENTS INVOLVED WOULD REPRESENT A HEAVY BURDEN, WHICH COULD ONLY BE CARRIED OUT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY NEEDS.
+HONG KONG HAS EVERY REASON TO BE PROUD OF ITS PROGRESS IN THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES SINCE THE WAR. THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED SEVENFOLD AND THE DEMANDS WHICH HAVE, IN CONSEQUENCE, FALLEN UPON ITS SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES HAVE BEEN IMMENSE.+ THE PAPER SAID.
IN SPITE OF THE URGENT CLAIMS OF HOUSING, MEDICAL SERVICES, SOCIAL WELFARE, AND THE MANIFOLD DEMANDS OF A MODERN URBAN SOCIETY, THE SIGNIFICANT TARGET OF MAKING SUBSIDIZED PRIMARY EDUCATION FREE FOR ALL WAS ACHIEVED IN 1971 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SMALL MINORITY OF SUBSIDIZED SCHOOLS AND THE JUNIOR ENGLISH SCHOOLS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW EMBARKING WITH ALL POSSIBLE SPEED ON THE AMBITIOUS SECONDARY EXPANSION TARGET. BY 1976 THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH FORM 1 PLACES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, INCLUDING +BOUGHT+ PLACES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS, FOR 77 PER CENT OF PRIMARY SIX LEAVERS AND WHEN THE FULLY PRIVATE SECTOR IS ADDED, ABOUT 100 PER CENT OF PLACES WILL HAVE BEEN ATTAINED FOR CHILDREN IN THE 12 - 14 AGE GROUP.
IN LINE WITH THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER, THE PERCENTAGE OF PRIMARY SIX LEAVERS WHO WILL GAIN FORM 1 PLACES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN 1977 WILL RISE TO NEARLY 81 FER CENT, IN 1978 TO 95 PER CENT AND IN 1979 TO 100 PER CENT.
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/TEMPORARY