XN000022-1973-03-15 — Page 12

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Thursday, March 15, 1973

EXPANSION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IS OVERDUE

Saving In One Sector Of Education To Be Used In Another

The Hon. Mrs. Joyce Symons today laid special emphasis on the development of secondary education when she spoke at the budget debate.

Hong Kong, she said, had hopelessly failed in the provision of educational facilities in the last quarter of a century.

"The situation is now improving, but I must warn the Honourable

Financial Secretary to brace his nerve in the years ahead.

"We have been singularly fortunate in the buoyancy of our

economy year after year; but if recession should set in, how heavily will

the axe fall on the educational sector?"

Mrs. Symons stressed that the quality of education must be promoted, conserved and even improved as new plans for the future were forged. She also proposed that savings in one sector of education be used in another sector without it being lost in general revenue.

up high.

"When universal primary education was provided, we held our heads I think we were carried away and lost our head in the clouds when

we made it free.

"Provided the poor parent, and I mean poor, pays nothing, I suspect about half a million out of 700,000 would be willing and able to pay about $10 a month (with ten payments a year) for his child attending a primary school, if the money is earmarked for the provision of a secondary school place.

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