XN000022-1973-09-24 — Page 4

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Monday, September 24, 1973

EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION FOR OPERATORS OF PRIVATE ROOFTOP SCHOOLS

As a goodwill gesture, the government has decided to pay $2,000

for each rooftop wing as ex-gratia compensation to the operators of pri-

vate rooftop schools which will be affected by the Lower Shek Kip Mei

rehousing operation.

"The compensation will be given to the operators by the Education

Department on the, closure of the schools or before the blocks are affected

in November 1975," a spokesman for the Department said today.

He said the Supervisors of the private schools concerned had been

informed about the Government's decision.

The school Supervisors were also told that there were over 4,500

vacant places in nearby government and aided primary schools to provide

alternative accommodation for 1,400 pupils now in Shek Kip Mei rooftop

schools.

As a result, reprovisioning of the rooftop schools was not necessary

on educational grounds.

But if rooftop school operators were interested in primary schools

or kindergartens in other estates, except Pak Tin, they could apply to the

Education Department which would consider their requests together with other

applications on their own merits,

The spokesman pointed out that the two estate schools which will

be available in Pak Tin before 1976-77 have been committed to other spon-

soring bodies.

"The eligibility for obtaining kindergarten or subsidized school

premises depends on a number of criteria including the status of the appli-

cant body and the operation standards of the existing school sponsored by

the body," the spokesman said.

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