WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994
MOTION DEBATE ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION
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FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR LAM WOON-KWONG, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION AT THE LEGCO SITTING TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
MADAM DEPUTY PRESIDENT,
WHO HAVE INDICATE
I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL THANK ALL THE MEMBERS SPOKEN AND THANK THEIR VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS DEBATE. THEY ONCE AGAIN THE PRIORITY AND IMPORTANCE MEMBERS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY ATTACH TO PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION. WE SHARE A LOT OF COMMON GROUND WITH MANY MEMBERS IN THIS DEBATE. IT IS INDEED GOVERNMENT'S AIM TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION TO MATCH RISING COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS.
IMPROVEMENTS TO KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION
IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION SHOULD REMAIN NON-COMPULSORY AND THAT IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WITHIN THIS BROAD POLICY FRAMEWORK, GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO A PROGRAMME OF SUPPORT AND IMPROVEMENTS WHICH AIM ΤΟ FACILITATE CHILDREN OF THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP ΤΟ HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION.
WE HAVE ALREADY DONE QUITE A LOT IN THIS DIRECTION. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO NON-PROFIT-MAKING KINDERGARTENS BY WAY OF REIMBURSEMENT OF RENTS AND RATES. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR TEACHERS, BASIC AND ADVANCED TRAINING COURSES WERE ORGANISED, CURRICULUM GUIDELINES PRODUCED, AND NORMATIVE SALARY SCALES RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION BY KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS. LEGISLATION WAS ALSO INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE FOR A MINIMUM TEACHER TO PUPIL RATIO; AND A FEE REMISSION SCHEME INTRODUCED FOR NEEDY PARENTS. AS A RESULT OF THESE IMPROVEMENT MEASURES, THE WASTAGE OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY REDUCED, FROM 30% A FEW YEARS AGO TO LESS THAN 20% LAST YEAR.
THIS
BUT WE ACCEPT THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE. IN THE CONTEXT OF YEAR'S POLICY ADDRESS AND IN RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE AD HOC SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION EARLIER THIS YEAR, GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON MORE INITIATIVES. THESE INCLUDE:
(A)
SPENDING 54% MORE ON THE FEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME TO ENABLE 4,000 MORE CHILDREN TO BENEFIT;
(B) RAISING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS FROM COMPLETION OF FORM THREE TO COMPLETION OF SECONDARY FIVE WITH AT LEAST TWO PASSES IN THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION;
/(c) SPENDING $163M