WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1978
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+SO ALTHOUGH IT IS TRUE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE 55 SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES UP TO 1981 WILL BE NON-PROFIT- MAKING, THE END PRODUCT WILL BE 58 GOVERNMENT OR AIDED SCHOOLS AND 43 NON-PROFIT-MAKING SCHOOLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BY 1981, COMPARED WITH 39 GOVERNMENT OR AIDED AND SEVEN NON-PROF IT-MAKING SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR NOW. +
CONTRARY TO WHAT THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG HAD SAID, MR. TOPLEY EMPHASISED THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A REDUCTION IN STANDARDS BUT A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.+
THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT HAD EXPRESSED ALARM THAT THE INTERLOCKING+ SCHOOLS (AND BY THIS MR. TOPLEY WAS SURE SHE MEANT THE ASYMMETRICAL SCHOOLS) WOULD BE +CAPUT GRANT+ SCHOOLS AND NOT, AS SHE CLAIMED WAS ENVISAGED, FULLY AIDED SCHOOLS.
MR. TOPLEY SAID: THIS MISUNDERSTANDING PUZZLES ME. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW IT COULD EVER HAVE BEEN THOUGHT THAT THESE ASYMMETRICAL SCHOOLS WERE TO BE FULLY AIDED.
+THE 1974 WHITE PAPER VERY CLEARLY DESCRIBED WHAT WAS MEANT BY ASYMMETRICAL SCHOOLS, HOW THEY WOULD BE ASSISTED, AND THE PART THEY WOULD PLAY IN ANY EXPANSION PROGRAMME.+
IT WAS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT FOR A TIME AT LEAST SOME UNEVENNESS OF PROVISION WOULD EXIST WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
+HOWEVER, THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE TO THE NON-PROFIT-MAKING SCHOOLS MUST BE REVIEWED AND THIS WILL BE DONE.
+ I SHOULD ADD THAT THE NEW SYSTEM OF SCHOOL NETS WHICH AIMS TO EQUAL ISE OPPORTUNITIES BY REGION PLUS THE GREAT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF NEW PUBLIC SECTOR SCHOOLS WILL GIVE TO CHILDREN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OTHER DEVELOPING AREAS A MUCH BETTER OPPORTUNITY THAN THEY HAVE NOW OF OBTAINING A SECONDARY PLACE IN A MORE POPULAR SCHOOL.
+SO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IS BEING RAISED NOT LOWERED AND CHILDREN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OTHER DEVELOPING AREAS WILL BENEFIT POSITIVELY AND CONSIDERABLY. I AGREE OF COURSE THAT THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT AS MORE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
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