17
DR HUANG COMMENTS ON THE PROVISION
FOR FREE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION
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IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, DR. THE HON. RAYSON HUANG CONGRATULATED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ON A HEALTHY BUDGET AND ON A BUDGET WHICH SUPPORTS THE CONTINUATION OF THE TREND, ESTABLISHED IN RECENT YEARS, OF MAKING GREATER PROVISION FOR THE AREAS OF PUBLIC WELFARE AND EDUCATION.
WITH REGARD TO THE PROVISION FOR EDUCATION, DR. HUANG SAID HE WOULD LIKE IN PARTICULAR TO REFER TO THE SUM EARMARKED FOR THE PROVISION OF FREE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AMOUNTING TO $50 MILLION IN 1978-79, AND $80 MILLION FOR THE FULL FINANCIAL YEAR THEREAFTER.
HE SAID THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING LIKE UNANIMITY IN THE COMMUNITY ON THE MOVE TO PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL AT THE JUNIOR SECONDARY LEVEL. WHILE NO CHILD SHOULD BE PREVENTED, SOLELY BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL DISADVANTAGE, FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION UP TO THE END OF FORM III, THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT THING FROM THE INDISCRIMINATE PROVISION OF FREE PLACES FOR THE RICH AND POOR ALIKE, PARTICULARLY WHEN THIS MEANS EITHER HAVING TO ACCEPT A PLACE IN A SCHOOL WHICH IS NOT OF ONE'S CHOICE OR RECEIVING NO FEE REMISSION OR SUBSIDY FOR A PLACE IN A SCHOOL WHICH ONE HAS CHOSEN.
UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM OF ALLOCATION FOR FORM | EDUCATION, HE EXPLAINED, A PARENT WILL BE FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF ACCEPTING THE PLACE ALLOCATED TO HIS CHILD IN A SECONDARY SCHOOL OR OF PAYING FULL FEES IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL OF HIS CHOICE. WHILE RICH PARENTS CAN AFFORD TO MAKE A CHOICE, LESS WELL-OFF PARENTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANOTHER SCHOOL FOR WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY FULL FEES, AND THESE PARENTS WILL BE WORSE OFF THAN UNDER THE PRESENT SUBSIDISED SCHEME WHERE THEIR CHILDREN MIGHT EXPECT SOME REMISSION IN THE FEES OF THEIR SCHOOLS.
AT PRESENT SUBSIDISED SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE LOWER FORMS HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED EQUABLE FINANCIAL PROVISION TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT NOT MANY CASES OF HARDSHIP REMAIN. BY USING A SMALL PART OF THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE TO EXTEND THE EXISTING PROVISION FOR REMISSION OF FEES THE REMAINING CASES OF HARDSHIP COULD BE ELIMINATED, HE SAID.
DR. HUANG POINTED OUT THAT OUR PRIMARY GOAL IN EDUCATION SHOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IS EDUCATED UP TO A LEVEL AT WHICH HE CAN FIND HIS WAY IN SOCIETY. TO MOST PEOPLE THIS MEANS EDUCATION UP TO FORM V LEVEL, AND UNTIL OPENINGS INTO THE CRAFT AND TECHNICAL VOCATIONS ARE ESTAEL ISHED AND PROPERLY PROVIDED FOR, WE CAN EXPECT PRESSURE TO ENTER FORM IV TO CONTINUE.
IT SHOULD THEREFORE BE OUR PRIOR AIM TO PROVIDE MORE SUBS ID ISED PLACES IN FORMS IV AND VITH AN EXTENSION OF THE FEE REMISSION SCHEME FOR THOSE IN NEED, HE SAID. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE $80 MILLION COULD BE USED TO SUES IDISE EDUCATION IN FORMS IV AND V IN CERTAIN SELECTED PRIVATE NON-PROF IT-MAKING SCHOOLS, THUS HELPING TO REMOVE THE BOTTLENECK BETWEEN FORMS 111 AND IV.
/DR. BUANG