MONDAY, JULY 24, 1978
NEW SHA TIN SCHOOL ALLOCATED TO
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH ******
THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT HAD DECIDED TO OFFER TO THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH THE SPONSORSHIP OF A NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THE WO CHE HOUSING ESTATE IN SHA TIN.
THIS OFFER CAME IN RESPONSE TO AN APPLICATION FROM THE CHURCH ON MAY 18 TO CONTINUE THEIR SPONSORSHIP OF A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THE SHA TIN AREA. THE SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY 1979.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW SCHOOL WAS ALSO GIVEN IN A LETTER TO A GROUP OF PARENTS OF PUPILS AT THE SHA TIN LUTHERAN PRIMARY SCHOOL, WHO HAD SENT A PETITION TO THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, ON JULY 11. THEY WERE TOLD THAT, AS SOME PARENTS WISH THEIR CHILDREN TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN A SCHOOL UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, THE WITHDRAWAL OF SUBSIDY, WHICH WAS DUE TO TAKE EFFECT THIS SUMMER, WILL NOW BE DEFERRED UNTIL FEBRUARY 1979, WHEN THE SCHOOL IS DUE FOR DEMOLITION. PRIMARY PUPILS MAY STAY ON AT THE SHA TIN LUTHERAN SCHOOL UNTIL THE NEW SCHOOL IN THE WO CHE ESTATE IS READY AND THEN BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW SCHOOL. SOME PARENTS MAY WISH THEIR CHILDREN TO TRANSFER THIS COMING SEPTEMBER TO THE THREE OTHER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE WO CHE AND LEK YUEN HOUSING ESTATES WHERE PLACES HAVE ALREADY BEEN FOUND FOR THEM, AND THEIR WISHES WILL BE RESPECTED ALSO.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IT WAS THE NORMAL PROCEDURE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE OF A NEW ESTATE PRIMARY SCHOOL TO DECIDE WHICH ORGANISATION SHOULD BE OFFERED THE SPONSORSHIP. IN VIEW OF THE PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE DESIRABILITY OF ENABLING PUPILS AT THE SHA TIN LUTHERAN PRIMARY SCHOOL TO CONTINUE AT A SCHOOL UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, THE DATE OF DECISION HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE APPLICATION FROM THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH HAD BEEN CONSIDERED ON ITS MERITS. *WHILE APPLICATIONS TO SPONSOR NEW SCHOOLS IN SHA TIN HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM OTHER REPUTABLE ORGANISATIONS, THE LUTHERAN CHURCH HAS A PROVEN REPUTATION OVER THE PAST 28 YEARS IN PROMOTING PRIMARY EDUCATION IN THE SHA TIN AREA.+
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE DECISION DOES NOT AMOUNT TO REPROVISIONING THE EXISTING SCHOOL INTO NEW PREMISES AT WO CHE. +THE SHA TIN LUTHERAN PRIMARY SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED IN FEBRUARY 1979 AND THE SCHOOL AT WO CHE WILL BE A NEW ONE, THOUGH IT WILL BE OPERATED BY THE SAME SPONSORING BODY.+ HE SAID. HE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS NOT THE NORMAL PRACTICE TO REPROVISION PRIMARY SCHOOLS THAT HAVE TO BE CLOSED. THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT DID THINK IT WAS RIGHT TO HAVE REGARD TO PAST SERVICE IN AN AREA WHEN DECIDING ON THE ALLOCATION OF NEW SCHOOLS IN THAT LOCALITY.
IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SPONSORING BODY TO APPOINT A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL. THIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL IN TURN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGAGING STAFF FOR THE NEW SCHOOL.
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