EDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1973
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WHY PARENTS PREFER AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS
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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT PARENTS GENERALLY PREFERRED AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND THAT HE BELIEVED ATTEMPTS SHOULD BE MADE TO MAKE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS MORE ATTRACTIVE.
MR. TOPLEY WAS REPLYING TO THE HON. WONG LAM WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT AGREED THAT THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS STILL SHOWED LITTLE INTEREST IN MOST GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND PREFERRED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS DESPITE THE FACT THAT FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION HAD BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE 1971.
MR. WONG ALSO WANTED TO KNOW IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD LOOKED INTO THE REASONS FOR THIS AND HAD ANY PLANS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION.
AGREEING WITH MR. WONG THAT PARENTS GENERALLY PREFERRED AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT PARENTS WERE FREE TO CHOOSE PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION FACTORS LIKE LOCALITY, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND THE ACADEMIC REPUTATION OF SCHOOLS.
+AS MOST GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS, UNLIKE AIDED SCHOOLS, ARE LOCATED IN THE OLDER RESIDENTIAL AREAS, THEIR CLIENTELE HAS DECREASED GRADUALLY BECAUSE OF POPULATION MOVEMENT TO THE NEW TOWNS AND ESTATES, HE SAID.
ON THE OTHER HAND, MR. TOPLEY POINTED OUT THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF AIDED SCHOOLS WERE FEE CHARGING AND THIS ADDED A CERTAIN GLAMOUR TO THEM. THERE ALSO APPEARED TO BE A GENERAL PREFERENCE FOR SCHOOLS WITH RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS BECAUSE IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THESE PROVIDED A STIFFER MORAL EDUCATION.
THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED THAT THE AIDED SCHOOLS WERE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN MANY CASES IN BUILDING AN ACADEMIC REPUTATION WHICH INFLUENCED PARENTS. WHILE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS WERE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT ANY ELIGIBLE PUPIL. AIDED SCHOOLS COULD BE MORE CHOOSY AND SELECT THE ABLER PUPILS. THEY ALSO IN SOME CASES ASKED PUPILS TO LEAVE WHO WERE NOT MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.
MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT HE WAS DISCUSSING WITH THE STAFF CONCERNED SUITABLE WAYS OF MAKING THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS MORE ATTRACTIVE.
+CERTAINLY SOME DEMONSTRATION BY GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADMASTERS AND TEACHERS OF A RENELED DEDICATION TO THE IR TASK OF SERVING PUPILS AND THEIR PARENTS MUST BE PART OF THIS EFFORT,+ HE ADDED.
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