XN000022-1975-02-27 — Page 4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1975

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36 ASSISTED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS

TO GET FINANCIAL HELP

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THE GOVERNMENT'S SUBVENTIONS ON EDUCATION IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR BEGINNING APRIL INCLUDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO 36 ASSISTED PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAKING SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO ENABLE THEM TO CONVERT BY STAGES TO FULLY SUBSIDIZED STATUS UNDER THE UNIFIED CODE OF AID FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THIS COMMITMENT IN THE APPROPRIATION BILL, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST STAGE OF THE SCHEME IN SEPTEMBER 1975, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.

IN THE 1975-76 DRAFT ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE, ABOUT $2.5 MILLION IS PROVIDED AS CAPITATION GRANT FOR THE 36 SCHOOLS TO BE BROUGHT ONTO RECURRENT SUDSIDY BY STAGES, THE CAPITATION GRANT WILL REPLACE THE PRESENT CLASSROOM ALLOWANCE.

THE PROVISION OF ANOTHER $11.5 MILLION IS A SALARY GRANT TO TEACHERS AS PART OF THE SCHEME. THIS SALARY GRANT IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE-HALF OF EACH TEACHER'S ACTUAL ENTITLEMENT. THE GRANT WILL REPLACE THE PRESENT SALARY ALLOWANCE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SCHOOLS WILL BE REQUIRED TO READJUST THEIR CLASS ORGANIZA- TION BY STAGES TO CONFORM WITH OTHER FULLY AIDED SCHOOLS.

THE DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSEQUENT STAGES OF THE SCHEME WILL BE DECIDED WHEN PROVISION FOR THE 1976/77 ESTIMATES IS CONSIDERED.

HE RECALLED THAT THE SCHEME FOR CONVERTING THE 36 ASSISTED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO FULLY SUBSIDIZED STATUS BY STAGES WAS APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON DECEMBER 18, 1974.

THESE 36 SCHOOLS PROVIDE ABOUT 30,000 PLACES IN FORMS 1 TO 3, 10,000 IN FORMS 4 AND 5 AND 2,000 IN FORM 6.

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