WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1983
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FEE HELP FOR KINDERGARTEN PUPILS ADEQUATE
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THE MAXIMUM FEE ASSISTANCE LEVEL FOR KINDERGARTEN PUPILS IS ADEQUATE TO ATTRACT ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON COLVYN HAYE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE HON MARIA TAM, MR HAYE SAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE 1981 WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES, THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF FEE ASSISTANCE FOR KINDERGARTENS WAS BASED ON THE AVERAGE FEE CHARGED IN NON-PROFIT-MAKING KINDERGARTENS.
+THIS LEVEL IS UPDATED EVERY YEAR TO BRING THE MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE IN LINE WITH CURRENT AVERAGE FEE LEVELS WHICH ARE $110 PER MONTH FOR HALF-DAY KINDERGARTENS AND $300 PER MONTH FOR FULL-DAY KINDGARTENS, HE SAID.
ON THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO REDUCE THE BUDGET FOR FEE ASSISTANCE FOR KINDERGARTEN PUPILS IN THE 1983/84 FINANCIAL YEAR, MR HAYE EXPLAINED THAT THE PROVISION OF $31.6 MILLION FOR KINDERGARTEN FEE ASSISTANCE IN 1982/83 WAS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT SOME 73 000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS WOULD BE FOUND.
HOWEVER, HE SAID ONLY 10 070 CAME FORWARD FOR THE 1982/83 SCHOOL YEAR, AND OF THESE 7 550 WERE FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE.
+CONSEQUENTLY, A MORE REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS IN 1983/84 HAS BEEN MADE - AND THIS WE THINK WILL BE IN THE REGION OF 11 000, REQUIRING A PROVISION OF $5.05 MILLION.
+FEE ASSISTANCE IS NOT BEING REDUCED HAS MERELY BEEN ADJUSTED, + MR HAYE NOTED.
THE BUDGET ESTIMATE
HE ADDED THAT FEE ASSISTANCE WAS GRANTED TO PARENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON THE FAMILY'S TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME AFTER PAYMENT OF RENT.
+AS STATED IN THE 1981 WHITE PAPER, THE PRIME OBJECT OF THE SCHEME IS TO ASSIST LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO MEET THE COST OF KINDERGARTENS FEE. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS OBJECT IS BEING FRUSTRATED, MR HAYE SAID.
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