XN000022-1976-01-07 — Page 3

Wednesday, January 7, 1976

"I am also placing increasing stress upon 'activity' approach in

primary schools with a view to creating better conditions for learning,"

he said.

He hoped that when he could abolish the Secondary School Entrance

Examination, the atmosphere of primary schools, with a broader curriculum

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in primary five and six, would further improve.

As for the 12 to 14 year olds not at school, Mr. Topley said there

appeared to be general agreement, and it was the conclusion of the Inter-

departmental Committee on Services for Youth, that the main and vital thing

to be done for them was to get them into school.

He gave an assurance that the Committee would be commissioning further

activities and studies.

Mr. Cheong-Leen had in his speech said one of the prime reasons for

the serious state of violent crime was the build-up over the past years of

a hard-core number of primary school drop-outs and 12-14 year olds who could

not continue school or find work lawfully.

He noted that surveys had been completed on primary school drop-outs

and the 12-14 year youngsters not in school in Wong Tai Sinand Chai Wan. "I

suggest that steps be taken urgently to initiate similar surveys in all the

other districts, he said.

He urged that plans be formulated to pinpoint and to reduce the

number of primary school drop-outs to the absolute minimum.

"The out-reach programme has to be expanded quickly together with

other suitable programmes to take care of the hard-core elements in the

12-14 age group, before they are led astray into a life of chronic and

hardened crime," he added.

/Hong Kong's