XN000022-1972-03-16 — Page 3

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Thursday, March 16, 1972

"I suggest that it is a false economy to confine our local officers

to daily routine and keep them like frogs in wells," he said.

On young people, particularly those below the age of 15, Mr. Wang

said: "We must not and could not afford to let them go astray for a few

years and be content to say that school places will soon be available."

He said this should be more obvious at this moment when the

Colony was concerned with the most undesirable upsurge of juvenile crime.

Difficulties

Admittedly there were physical difficulties involved in expediting

the construction of schools and the training of teachers but he was not

sure all had been done to reach at a much earlier dato the present target

of providing 50 per cent of three years aided post-primary education by 1976

and 100 per cent by 1980.

"I therefore propose that urgent action should be taken to explore

all other ways and means of expediting this provision," he stressed.

While waiting for the attainment of that target, Mr. Wang proposed

that Government should accept the responsibility of ensuring that no child

between the age of 6 and 15 was deprived of education solely because of

financial difficulties.

He said public funds should be made available so that all parents-

in-need could apply for financial assistance to pay for a part or the whole

of the school fees in any school registered with the Education Department,

provided the Director of Education was satisfied there were no aided places

available for them.

Mr. Wang