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Wednesday, January 7, 1976

GOVERNMENT AID TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS: SCHEME BEING STUDIED

The Director of Education, the Hon, Kenneth Topley, told the

Legislative Council today that the proposed scheme of government assistance

submitted by the Hong Kong Private Anglo-Chinese Schools Association was

being examined in the context of two considerations.

"First, Government must be satisfied that any scheme of assistance

to independent private schools that may be agreed upon does not constitute

subsidising profits.

"Second, it would not be appropriate, in my view, to consider the

proposals in isolation from the Department's plans to expand secondary

education and to implement the 1974 White Paper," Mr. Topley said.

However, he assured the Hon. Mrs. Joyce Symons who asked about the

proposed scheme that the Education Department had always recognised the

contribution of private schools in the provision of education in Hong Kong.

"For this reason, its policy has always been to try to help private schools

whenever possible," he said.

Financial assistance to independent private schools at present is

generally limited to fee assistance for pupils occupying bought plates in

these schools.

The proposed scheme, the Director said, concerned an extension of

government assistance "over and above the present arrangements."

In reply to the Hon. Miss KO Siu-wah's question on the better use of

government school playgrounds and premises after school or in the evenings

for recreational activities, Mr. Topley said that the Sports and Recreation

Unit of the Education Department was investigating ways of expanding the

present evening and weekend use of all school premises for recreation and

sports programmes.

/A pilot