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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982
ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPROVING INDIRECT GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS THROUGH THE FUNDING OF BOUGHT PLACES HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AND WELCOMED BY THE VARIOUS PRIVATE SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS, WHOSE REPRESENTATIVES MEET THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION EVERY THREE MONTHS.
THESE ASSOCIATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVISED OF THE CONTROL MEASURES WHICH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE TO ENSURE THAT THE TEACHERS WILL INDEED RECEIVE THE SALARY INCREASES INTENDED FOR THEM.
MR HAYE SAID THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS WERE SO DIFFERENT THAT IT WAS NEITHER FEASIBLE NOR DESIRABLE TO REQUIRE ALL OF THEM TO CONFORM TO A SINGLE ELABORATE FORMULA FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT FOLLOWING AN INVITATION TO PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS TO JOIN THE PUBLIC AIDED SECTOR AFTER THE 1978 WHITE PAPER, ONLY ONE PRIVATE SCHOOL WAS PREPARED TO BECOME NON-PROF IT MAKING AND FULLY AIDED.
ON THE LONG-TERM INTENTIONS AND PLANS REGARDING BOUGHT PLACES IN PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, HE SAID THAT WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE LAST 39 SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN THE APPROVED SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME OF 130 IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PHASE OUT THE BOUGHT PLACES IN THE LESS SATISFACTORY PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS.
+CONSIDERATION IS NOW BEING GIVEN TO AN EXTENSION OF THE BUILDING PROGRAMME WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO MAKE FURTHER HEADWAY IN THIS DIRECTION,+ MR HAYE SAID.
TURNING TO COMMENTS ON THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM BY MRS SELINA CHOW, HE SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE ALLEGED ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEM WERE MUCH LESS MARKED IN THE RECENTLY COMPLETED SECOND CYCLE AS TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS BECAME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURES.
THIS YEAR SOME 65 PER CENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE QUALIFIED FOR PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES IN FORM IV AND 80 PER CENT OF THESE WERE IN THEIR OWN SCHOOLS.
HE SAID THAT GIVEN THE PREFERENCE OF MOST STUDENTS AND PARENTS FOR ACADEMIC SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION, THE JSEA WAS NECESSARY AND WAS STILL THE FAIREST MEANS OF SELECTING STUDENTS FOR FORM IV-V EDUCATION.
APPEALING TO PARENTS NOT TO COMMUNICATE THEIR FEARS TO THEIR CHILDREN, HE SAID, THEY ARE LESS CONCERNED BY THE JSEA THAN YOU ARE.+
ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION, MR HAYE ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE AN EARLY START IN THIS AREA BECAUSE OF THE PRIORITY WHICH HAD TO BE GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
/BUT HE