20
THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978
PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IT IS BELEIVED THAT SOME. PERHAPS THE MAJORITY, OF THE ONE PER CENT OF PRIMARY-AGE CHILDREN NOT AT SCHOOL AT A MOMENT OF TIME, ATTEND SCHOOL AT OTHER TIME.
MR. TOPLEY WAS REPLYING AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL TO THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN WHO SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS PERCENTAGE OF +PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN HAVE STILL TO SEE THE INSIDE OF A CLASS-ROOM, BUT THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS STRENUOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO REDRESS THIS SOCIAL ANOMALY.+
MR. CHEONG-LEEN ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO 3,000 OR MORE STUDENTS WHO HE CLAIMED WERE DROPPING OUT OF THEIR PRIMARY EDUCATION, AND HOW MANY OF THEM WERE BEING LURED INTO FACTOR IES,
HE ALSO ASKED WHETHER CHILDREN UNDER 14 WILL BE BANNED FROM WORKING IN NON-INDUSTRIAL PLACES SUCH AS OFFICES AND RESTAURANTS AS FROM OCTOBER NEXT YEAR AND IF SO, WHAT FURTHER STEPS WOULD THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT BE TAKING THIS YEAR TO CLOSE THE GAP ON DROP-OUTS IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IN REPLY, MR. TOPLEY SAID: +SOME 5,000 STUDENTS MAY HAVE DISCONTINUED SCHOOLING DURING THE IR PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION AND THIS FIGURE INCLUDES SOME 1,300 STUDENTS WHO HAVE EMIGRATED WITH THE IR PARENTS TO OVERSEAS COUNTRIES IN 1977.
+ IT ALSO APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE 5,000 ARE ALREADY OVER THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE OF 11 WHEN THEY LEAVE.
+AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY STATED IN THIS COUNCIL WE HAVE A SYSTEM BY WHICH HEADMASTERS INFORM US OF CASES WHERE THEY BELIEVE THAT A CHILD HAS DISCONTINUED SCHOOLING. THESE CASES ARE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, AND WHERE NECESSARY, THE CHILDREN ARE PLACED BACK IN SCHOOL.
+THE SYSTEM WORKS WELL BUT IT IS TRUE AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY STATED, THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TRACE ALL CHILDREN.
+WHEN TRACED, NEARLY ALL THE PARENTS ACCEPT PERSUASION TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL AND SO FAR IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO SERVE ONLY TWO ATTENDANCE ORDERS.
+THE ORDERS WERE SERVED AFTER THE PARENT CONCERNED HAD REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE ADVICE OF OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS TO SEND HIS TWO CHILDREN TO SCHOOL,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
AT. GLD LEN