XN000022-1976-10-13 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1976

PROVIDENT FUNDS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS OF ALL KINDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN PROVIDENT FUNDS OR JOIN EXISTING APPROVED FUNDS IF THEY WISH AND A NUMBER HAVE ALREADY DONE SO, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT, HE SAID MEMBERSHIP OF THE GRANT AND SUBSIDISED SCHOOLS PROVIDENT FUNDS WAS LIMITED BY LAW TO THE FULLY AIDED SECTOR OF EDUCATION.

+ IN THE PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS THE NEED TO KEEP FEES AT A REASONABLE LEVEL PREVENTS THESE SCHOOLS IN MOST CASES FROM OFFERING SALARIES ATTRACTIVE TO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION GRADUATES, + HE SAID.

MR. TOPLEY POINTED OUT THAT IN THE PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAK I NG SCHOOLS THE GOVERNMENT WAS ABLE TO GIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS SALARIES THROUGH THE PER CAPUT GRANT SCHEME FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1971.

+ IT IS LARGELY AS A RESULT OF THIS SCHEME THAT THE POSITION HAS NOW BEEN REACHED WHEREBY IN THOSE CLASSES CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE TEACHERS HAVE ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND I EXPECT THIS PROPORTION TO INCREASE, HE ADDED.

WAITING TIME FOR DRIVING TESTS

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITING 10 EXTRA DRIVING EXAMINERS IN A BID TO SHORTEN THE WAITING TIME FOR DRIVING TESTS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, HE SAID WHEN THE EXTRA EXAMINERS WERE AVAILABLE AND FULLY TRAINED THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DRIVING TEST APPOINTMENTS FROM 17,000 TO 22,000 A MONTH.

+THIS SHOULD DO MUCH TO REDUCE THE WAITING PERIOD, HE SAID,

MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD 34 DRIVING EXAMINERS AT PRESENT AND THE WAITING TIME FOR PRACTICAL DRIVING TESTS VARIED ACCORDING TO THE CLASS OF VEHICLE, THE LONGEST BEING JUST UNDER 10 MONTHS. THIS, HE SAID, WAS FOR PRIVATE CARS IN KOWLOON.

+ IT TAKES ABOUT ONE MONTH FOR LEARNER DRIVERS IN ALL CATEGORIES TO GET WRITTEN TESTS, HE ADDED.

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