7.
Of the total recurrent expenditure, 97%, or $30,330 million, will be on education, the largest single expenditure item in the 1995-96 Estimates.
"This reflects the Government's continued determination to invest in the improvement of the quality of our human resources, the time-honoured key to Hong Kong's success," the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Michael Leung, said today (Friday).
"Education remains very close to the heart of the Government as Hong Kong will need an adequate supply of quality manpower to maintain its status as the world's leading commercial and financial centre right into the next century," Mr Leung said.
Speaking at a media session on the 1995-96 Draft Estimates, Mr Leung said within the Education Vote, the relative shares to be spent on schools and the tertiary sector were important as they were aimed at ensuring a balanced growth in the development of education as a whole.
He noted that nearly 62% of the vote would be for schools and this apportionment ensured that the growth in student numbers and the quest for improved quality in each sector of the education system would not be at the expense of each other.
The major expenditure items relating to schools are:
* construction works to improve the teaching and learning environment in 110 schools with a total project cost of over $600 million;
* planning work for improving 130 schools with a total project cost of over $700 million;
* $37 million for introducing target-oriented curriculum in Primary 1 in 70 schools to make learning a more pleasurable and effective process;