THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1978
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HE URGED STRONGLY THAT THE APPOINTMENT OF A NUMBER OF SUITABLY QUALIFIED PERSONS FROM THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TO SERVE ON THE TDC BE CONSIDERED +1N ORDER TO ACHIEVE A PROPER BALANCE TO REFLECT MORE CLOSELY THE POSITION NOW OCCUPIED BY THE INDUSTRY AND TO ENABLE THE PROMOTERS OF HONG KONG'S GARMENTS ABROAD TO BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE LOCAL SCENE AND THE SENSIBILITIES OF OUR OVERSEAS MARKETS.+
INADEQUATE STANDARD OF NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS
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THE REV. THE HON: JOYCE M. BENNETT HAS DRAWN ATTENTION
TO THE INADEQUATE STANDARD OF NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BE PROVIDED IN THE NEW URBAN AREAS AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
SPEAKING TODAY AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MISS BENNETT SAID SHE WAS MOST ALARMED TO DISCOVER THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM WERE NOT TO BE FULLY-AIDED SCHOOLS. +INSTEAD THEY ARE TO BE PER CAPUT SCHOOLS. WHERE TEACHERS WILL NOT BE PAID AS MUCH AS IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS AND WHERE THE SCHOOLS WILL NOT THEREFORE ENGAGE A HIGH PROPORTION OF TEACHERS TRAINED IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION,+
IF THEY DO ENGAGE GOOD, TRAINED GRADUATES, THEY WILL BE CONTINUALLY IN DANGER OF LOSING THEM TO OTHER SCHOOLS WHERE THE PAY IS BETTER, SHE ADDED.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THERE ARE NOW SEVEN SUCH SCHOOLS, IN 1978-79 THERE WILL BE 21 AND IN 1979-80 THERE WILL BE 33.
THE RATIO OF THESE SCHOOLS TO GOVERNMENT AND FULLY AIDED SCHOOLS IN 1978-79 ON HONG KONG ISLAND WILL BE 19 TO 51, IN KOWLOON 21 TO 77 BUT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES 21 TO 37. IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR 1979-80, THE RATIO IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL BE 33 TO 41.
IN THE NEW TOWNS OR IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THERE WILL BE A COMPARATIVELY SMALL CHANCE OF GOING TO A GOVERNMENT OR FULLY AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOL.
SHE THOUGHT IT SHORT-SIGHTED AND FALSE ECONOMY TO BUILD SUCH PER CAPUT SCHOOLS WITH GOVERNMENT MONEY. THE GOVERNMENT IS CORRECT IN RECOGNISING THE NEED TO HELP BUILD SCHOOLS TO BE RUN BY SPONSORS. BUT IT MUST SEE THAT THESE SPONSORS CAN RECEIVE ENOUGH IN FEES AND/OR SUBSIDY TO RUN THEIR SCHOOLS WITH PROPERLY TRAINED AND PROPERLY PAID TEACHERS,+ SHE SAID.
MISS BENNETT SAID THE ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE CLEARLY STATES THAT AIDED SCHOOLS ARE SUBSIDISED ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF AID FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND ARE REQUIRED TO PAY TEACHERS THE SAME LEVEL OF SALARY TO WHICH THEY WOULD BE ENTITLED IN A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL. AT THE SAME TIME IT ALSO DESCRIBES THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ASSISTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND REFERS TO 41 SUCH SCHOOLS AT PRESENT, 36 OF WHICH ARE TO BE BROUGHT ON TO FULL AID FROM THIS SEPTEMBER.
/THÈSE PRIVATE ·*****