XN000022-1977-05-16 — Page 2

MONDAY, MAY 16, 1977

ENFORCEMENT OF COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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SOME PARENTS IN HONG KONG ARE DEPRIVING THEIR CHILDREN OF THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY. +THESE PARENTS ARE NOT ONLY DISREGARDING THE LAW BUT ARE ALSO STOPPING THEIR CHILDREN FROM ENJOYING A BRIGHTER FUTURE, HE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR WAS LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF ALL PARENTS, SPECIFICALLY THOSE IN THE FISHING AND WATER-BORNE COMMUNITIES TO THE FULL AVAILABILITY OF FREE PRIMARY PLACES AND TO THE FACT THAT PARENTS MIGHT BE PROSECUTED IF THEY DID NOT SEND THE IR PRIMARY AGE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR IF THEY PREVENTED THEM FROM ATTENDING CLASSES AT ANY STAGE OF THE SIX-YEAR COURSE.

THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE 1971 GIVES THE DIRECTOR POWERS TO ENFORCE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE WHERE PARENTS APPEAR TO BE UNNECESSARILY WITHHOLDING THEIR CHILDREN OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE FROM SCHOOL. THESE POWERS ARE EXERCISED BY THE DIRECTOR ONLY AFTER A CAREFUL INVESTIGATION OF THE FAMILY'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD. WHEN AN ATTENDANCE ORDER IS MADE, PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT OF APPEAL TO A SPECIALLY CONSTITUTED BOARD OF REVIEW.

ANY PARENT WHO WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE FAILS TO COMPLY WITH AN ATTENDANCE ORDER SHALL BE GUILTY OF AN OFFENCE AND SHALL BE LIABLE ON CONVICTION TO A FINE OF $500 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE MONTHS.

SO FAR IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY TO SERVE ONLY TWO ATTENDANCE ORDERS.

IN MAY LAST YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SERVED THE TWO ATTENDANCE ORDERS ON THE FATHER OF SEVEN CHILDREN IN THE HO MAN TIN AREA OF KOWLOON. THE ORDERS WERE SERVED AFTER THE PARENT HAD REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE ADVICE OF OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS TO SEND HIS EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND SIX-YEAR-OLD SON TO SCHOOL. THE TWO CHILDREN WERE FOUND AT HOME LOOKING AFTER A YOUNGER BROTHER AND THREE YOUNGER SISTERS WHILE THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER WERE ABSENT. THE ELDEST SON, AGED 9, WAS ATTENDING SCHOOL. OFFERS OF HELP BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WERE ALSO TURNED DOWN BY THE PARENTS.

A BOARD OF REVIEW WHICH MET LAST AUGUST CONFIRMED THE TWO ATTENDANCE ORDERS AND THE PARENTS COMPLIED WITH THE ORDERS BY SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER 1976, THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENT ACADEMIC YEAR. FOUR CHILDREN OF THAT FAMILY ARE NOW ATTENDING PRIMARY CLASSES.

EVER SINCE THE DIRECTOR WAS GIVEN POWERS IN 1971 TO ENFORCE PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, THE PARENTS OF 770 CHILDREN WERE PERSUADED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL OR HAD RETURNED THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OF THEIR OWN ACCORD, 58 WERE FOUND PLACES IN SCHOOL BY EITHER THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION OR AREA STAFF OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND 681 WERE OVER-AGED, UNTRACEABLE OR HAVE LEFT HONG KONG.

THE ACTUAL

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