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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977
+ANOTHER FEATURE OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN MENTIONED BY MEMBERS, IS THE NEED TO AVOID CAUSING HARDSHIP AMONG THE LESS WELL-OFF IN THE COMMUNITY.
+THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE IN DEALING WITH CASES OF NON-ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL TO SEEK THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WHICH IS IN A POSITION TO HELP IN CASES OF GENUINE HARDSHIP.+
ON THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY IN THE LABOUR LEGISLATION PROHIBITING EMPLOYMENT OF THOSE UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT HE AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, AFTER CLOSE CONSULTATION, HAD CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE, IN THE CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG, TO PROHIBIT ALL KINDS OF WORK TO THE UNDER 15'S.
+SOME FORMS OF WORK SHOULD STILL BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED A CHILD'S SCHOOLING IS NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING OUR RESPECTIVE LEGISLATION ACCORDINGLY. THE TYPES OF WORK ALLOWED, AND THE AMOUNTS PERMITTED, WILL REQUIRE UNAMBIGUOUS DEFINITION, AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVE CONTROL, BY BOTH THE EDUCATION AND LABOUR DEPARTMENTS, WILL REQUIRE TO BE CAREFULLY FORMULATED, MR. TOPLEY STRESSED.
CLARIFYING BRIEFLY WHAT IS MEANT BY ABOLITION OF FEES MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT +FROM SEPTEMBER 1978 ALL STANDARD FEES IN FORMS 1 TO 3 IN ALL GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS WILL BE DONE AWAY WITH. FROM THE SAME DATE THE GOVERNMENT WILL MEET THE ENTIRE FEES CHARGED IN BOUGHT PLACES IN FORMS 1 TO 3 IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS,
+AS MANY MEMBERS WILL APPRECIATE THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THERE ARE IN OUR AIDED SCHOOLS CERTAIN CHARGES UPON THE PUPILS, NORMALLY REFERRED TO AS 'TONG FAI' OR SUBSCRIPTIONS, WHICH ARE GAZETTED AS PART OF THE APPROVED INCLUSIVE FEE. REVENUE FROM THESE ADDITIONAL CHARGES IS USED TO PAY FOR SUCH ITEMS AS REPAYMENT OF LOANS, THE SCHOOLS' PORTIONS OF THE COST OF MAJOR REPAIRS AND THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
+THE QUESTION OF TONG FAI' OR SUBSCRIPTIONS IS A FAIRLY COMPLICATED ONE AND IS STILL BEING STUDIED, IT IS, HOWEVER, THE INTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT SHOULD NOW MEET, IN THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SECTOR, THE COSTS OF PROVIDING A REASONABLE LEVEL OF EDUCATION AT PRESENT BEING PAID FOR OUT OF TONG FAI' OR SUBSCRIPTION ACCOUNTS.
+TO THIS. END A REVIEW OF THOSE ACCOUNTS IS BEING CONDUCTED AND CONSULTATION WITH THE GRANT AND SUBSIDISED SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNCILS IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE.
+ THERE ARE CLEARLY GOING TO BE SOME DEMARCATION PROBLEMS IN ESTABLISHING WHAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR A REASONABLE LEVEL OF PROVISION, BUT LINES WILL NEED TO BE DRAWN IF PUBLIC FUNDS ARE TO BE PROPERLY AND PRUDENTLY SPENT, AGREEMENTS WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE REACHED WITH THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS ABOUT WHAT ARE REASONABLE FEE LEVELS AND AGAIN LINES WILL REQUIRE TO BE DRAWN.+
/ON THE APPOINTMENT