WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977
16 -
ON THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO WORKING PARTIES - ONE TO REVIEW PRE-PRIMARY AND THE OTHER PRIMARY EDUCATION UNDER THE GUIDANCE CF A STEERING COMMITTEE, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 19 IT WAS ACCEPTED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR SOME JOINT MEETINGS OF THE WORKING PARTIES AND FOR THE WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY EDUCATION TO EXTEND ITS CONSIDERATIONS INTO THE SECONDARY EDUCATION SECTOR WHERE IT DEEMED THIS NECESSARY.
+THESE REVIEWS WILL BE ANOTHER MAJOR STEP IN OUR ATTEMPT TO SEE OUR SYSTEM AS A WHOLE SO THAT WE MIGHT TACKLE ITS PROBLEMS IN WAYS WHICH RECOGNISE INTER-RELATIONSHIPS AND CONSEQUENTIAL EFFECTS MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY THAN WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE PAST,+ HE SAID.
MR. TOPLEY THEN TOUCHED ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES RAISED BY OTHER UNOFFICIALS.
HE SAID: +DR. RAYSON HUANG EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT AS A RESULT OF THE IRREGULAR AGE PATTERN OF OUR PRIMARY PUPILS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE (SOME 10%) WILL ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THE EXTENSION OF MY COMPULSORY POWERS. IN FACT 45% OF PUPILS ARE OF THE AGE 11 YEARS OR LESS ON ENTERING PRIMARY 6 AND SHOULD THUS HAVE ENTERED FORM 3 BEFORE THE IR 15TH BIRTHDAY. A FURTHER 35% ARE AGED 12 ON ENTERING PRIMARY 6 AND SHOULD THUS ENTER FORM 2 BEFORE THE IR 15TH BIRTHDAY. I DO NOT VISUALIZE MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR THESE GROUPS IN FINISHING THE JUNIOR SECONDARY COURSE.
+ IT IS TRUE, HOWEVER, THAT THE AGE STRUCTURE IS IRREGULAR BUT IT IS BECOMING MORE REGULAR EACH YEAR. THIS IS A MATTER TO WHICH WE HAVE GIVEN STUDY AND WHICH WILL, I KNOW, BE THOROUGHLY EXAMINED BY THE WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY EDUCATION.
+ TAKE DR. HUANG'S POINT ABOUT COMPELLING CHILDREN TO ATTEND UNSATISFACTORY SCHOOLS, THOUGH I MUST HASTEN TO ASSURE HIM THAT WE ARE NOT BUYING UNSATISFACTORY PLACES.
+ IT IS TRUE THAT WE INTEND TO EXTEND THE PUBLIC SECTOR THROUGH A BUILDING PROGRAMME WHICH WILL RESULT IN OUR NO LONGER BUYING MANY OF THE PLACES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH WE ARE TAKING AT PRESENT.
+THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO IMPROVE FACILITIES IN ENTERPRISES LEGALLY ENTITLED TO MAKE PROFITS.
+THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THOUGH THE PRESENT PLACES THEY PROVIDE ARE ADEQUATE, WOULD FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL CONDITIONS SUFFICIENTLY TO MEET THE HIGHER STANDARDS WE SHALL REQUIRE AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR PROVISION. EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, THE REPLACEMENT OF MANY PLACES NOW IN URBAN SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO BE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES:
/TURNING TO