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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985
ON GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TOWARDS THE SUBVENTION OF WELFARE AGENCIES PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE PRESENT POLICY WAS TO PROVIDE 100 PER CENT SUPPORT FOR SERVICES WHICH MET A FUNDAMENTAL NEED, INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS, DAY CARE CENTRES AND HOME HELP.
FOR THOSE SERVICES WHICH WERE BASICALLY SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL, INCLUDING SOCIAL CENTRES AND POOL BUS SERVICES, LESS THAN 100 PER CENT WAS PROVIDED AS IT IS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS TO RETAIN THE VOLUNTARY CHARACTER OF THESE SERVICES, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
MOST HOSPITALS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROJECTS WERE SUBVENTED ON A DEFICIENCY GRANT BASIS, HE ADDED.
SCHOOL PLACE DECREASE EXPLAINED *****
THERE HAD BEEN A GENERAL REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF FORMS | TO
V CLASSES IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE OF A DROP IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE 12-16 AGE GROUP AND AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY,
REPLYING TO A QUSTION FROM THE HON CHAN YING-LUN, HE NOTED THAT THERE WAS AN ANNUAL AVERAGE DECREASE OF 3.7 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE 12-16 AGE GROUP BETWEEN 1980 AND 1984.
+DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS INCREASE IN THE SUPPLY OF PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES UPON THE COMPLETION OF 46 NEW GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS BUILDING PROGRAMME, MR LEUNG SAID.
MR LEUNG SAID RECENTLY THERE HAD BEEN AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CLASSES IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS BECAUSE IN 1982 AND 1983, 59 PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAKING SECONDARY SCHOOLS BECAME FULLY AIDĖD.
+EXCLUDING THESE 59 SCHOOLS, BETWEEN 1980 AND 1984, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE OF REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF OPERATING CLASSES IN ALL PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS WERE 8.6 PER CENT IN FORMS I TO 111 AND 9.2 PER CENT IN FORMS IV TO V, ALTHOUGH IN FORMS VI TO VII THERE WAS AN AVERAGE ANNUAL INCREASE OF 3.8 PER CENT, HE SAID.
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