XN000022-1977-05-01 — Page 2

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 1977

TOPLEY AIMS FOR QUALITY IN EDUCATION

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED TOWARDS ACHIEVING ITS TARGET OF PROVIDING SUFFICIENT SUBSIDISED PLACES FOR A THREE- YEAR COURSE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY FORMS FOR ALL PRIMARY VI LEAVERS FROM 1978, AND IN FORMS IV AND V FOR 40 PER CENT OF THE 15-16 AGE GROUP AS EARLY AS PRACTICABLE.

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, TODAY REITERATED THAT THE QUICKEST WAY OF ENSURING THAT EVERY PRIMARY VI LEAVER OBTAINED AN AIDED FORM PLACE WAS BY +BUYING SOME ADDITIONAL PLACES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AS AN INTERIM MEASURE. BUT HE STRESSED THAT THE ULTIMATE AIM MUST BE TO PROVIDE AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE IN GOVERNMENT, AIDED AND NON-PROF IT-MAKING SCHOOLS.

+THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME WHICH WILL ALSO PERMIT THE PROGRESSIVE REDUCTION OF TEMPORARY EXPEDIENTS

INCLUDING THE PHASING OUT OF FLOATING CLASSES AND EXTENDED DAY IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS, HE SAID.

THE CURRENT BUILDING PROGRAMME PROVIDES FOR 83 SECONDARY SCHOOL PROJECTS - GOVERNMENT, AIDED AND PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAK ING TO BE COMPLETED BY 1981. MOST OF THEM WILL BE IN THE NEW TOWNS AND IN DEVELOPING AREAS.

+THE GOVERNMENT IS THUS ENSURING THAT THERE WILL BE GOOD SCHOOLS IN PLACES WHERE THE CHILDREN WILL BE LIVING. AT THE SAME TIME IT IS MAINTAINING STANDARDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, + MR. TOPLEY SAID,

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF FORM I BOUGHT PLACES IN BOTH PRIVATE NON-PROF IT-MAKING AND PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS WAS LIKELY TO INCREASE FROM THE PRESENT FIGURE OF 30,595 TO 34.050 IN 1977-78 AND TO 40,525 IN 1978-79. IT WAS LIKELY TO DECREASE TO 37,495 IN 1979-80 AND TO 31,715 IN 1980-81.

BUT THE DECREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BOUGHT PLACES IN FORMS TO I WOULD BE A GRADUAL ONE.

IN FACT, THE NUMBER OF FORMS TO I BOUGHT PLACES WAS LIKELY TO RISE FROM THE CURRENT FIGURE OF 73,320 TO 82,041 IN 1977-78, TO 93,505 IN 1978-79 AND TO 99,750 IN 1979-80. IT WOULD THEN DECLINE TO 98,185 IN 1980-81.

WHILE THE NUMBER OF FORMS I TO 111 BOUGHT PLACES IN PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS WOULD DECLINE, THE NUMBER OF SUCH PLACES IN PRIVATE NON-PROF IT-MAKING SCHOOLS WOULD IN FACT INCREASE.

+ THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO ANY PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS WHICH PLAN TO CHANGE INTO AN INCORPORATED ENTITY TO BE OPERATED ON A NON-PROFIT-MAKING BASIS, MR. TOPLEY SAID.

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APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF PER CAPUT GRANT AS NON-PROF IT-MAKING SCHOOLS WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE SAME WAY AS THE EXISTING NON-PROF IT-MAKING PRIVATE SCHOOLS ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM. PROVIDED THAT THEY MEET THE LEGAL REQUIRE- MENTS FOR ATTAINING SUCH STATUS AND ALSO MEET THE REQUIRED STANDARDS OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION,