XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.

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+WITHOUT A LARGE NUMBER OF ATTENDANCE OFFICERS, IT WOULD BE UNENFORCEABLE. FURTHERMORE, THE STATISTICS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEM OF DROP-OUT IS QUANTITATIVELY SMALL, I.E. ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT IN FACT DROP OUT. THIS IS NOT TO PLAY DOWN THE SERIOUS IMPLICATION FOR SOCIETY OF CHILDREN NOT AT SCHOOL INCLUDING THOSE DROPPING OUT,+ HE SAID.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN

MR. TOPLEY WAS CONSULTING THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES ON THE BEST WAY OF MOUNTING A SHORT BUT INTENSIVE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN OF ATTENDING SCHOOL AND OF COMPLETING THE FULL PRIMARY COURSE TO PARENTS.

+THIS WILL MAKE CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL AND TO SOCIAL WORKERS IN PARTICULAR, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO IN CASES OF CHILDREN DROPPING OUT OR NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL. IT WILL ALSO EXPLAIN WHAT ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE SITUATION, HE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR WENT ON TO SAY: +WHEN WE HAVE ACHIEVED THE NINE-YEAR BASIC COURSE, THE PROBLEM OF DROPPING OUT WILL EMERGE AT THE FORMS TO III LEVEL, PROBABLY IN A MORE INTRACTABLE FORM.

+FURTHERMORE, UNTIL THE AIM OF HAVING PLACES AVAILABLE FOR 100 PER CENT OF THE 12-14 AGE GROUP IS ACHIEVED, I CANNOT OVER- EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRYING TO FILL THE GAP BY SOME INTERIM MEASURES.

+THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP HERE AS WILL THE WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CRAFT COURSES BEING ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. I MYSELF AM GIVING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ASSESSING THE NEED FOR EVENING CLASSES.+

AGE OF ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL

TURNING TO MR. WILSON WANG'S PROPOSAL THAT THE AGE OF ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL SHOULD BE REDUCED FROM 6 TO 5, MR. TOPLEY SAID THIS COULD INDEED BE A DESIRABLE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE EDUCATIONAL VIEWPOINT OF THE PUPILS AND THEIR PARENTS.

+BUT IT BECOMES FULLY DESIRABLE ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF STILL GREATER FINANCIAL RESOURCES APPLIED TO EDUCATION. WHILE THE RESOURCES APPLIED TO EDUCATION ARE THE SAME, THE WEIGHT WILL BE FELT IN THE FORM OF STRONGER DEMAND FOR PLACES IN SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD MEAN THAT SOME CHILDREN WOULD COMPLETE THREE YEARS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION BEFORE THEIR 14TH BIRTHDAY AND BEFORE THEY WERE FULLY ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT.

+1 THEREFORE WELCOME THE SUGGESTION BUT BELIEVE THAT THIS PROPOSAL SHOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSED WHEN THE TARGETS IN THE WHITE PAPER HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED AND THE NEXT STAGE OF REVIEW HAS BEEN REACHED.+

/EXTRA CURRICULAR

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