XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 197

SPEAKING BRIEFLY ON THE BUILDING PROGRAMME, THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT PUTTING ASIDE FOR THE MOMENT THE 18 ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS REFERRED TO BY THE GOVERNOR, 54 OF THE NEW SCHOOLS PLANNED WOULD BE IN OPERATION BY 1978, AND THE REMAINING 30 TO BE COMPLETED BY 1981.

+

+OF THESE 84 SCHOOLS. 16 WILL BE ON HONG KONG ISLAND, 17 IN KOWLOON AND 51 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, CHIEFLY IN THE NEW TOWNS. THE ADDITIONAL 18 SCHOOLS WILL ALL BE ON THE MAINLAND. THE MAJORITY OF THEM AGA IN BEING BUILT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAMME WILL BE THAT THE NUMBER OF BOUGHT PLACES IN THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS WILL BE REDUCED AND REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOLS WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED. THE ADDITIONAL 18 SCHOOLS WILL ALSO ENABLE US TO REDUCE THE DEGREE OF ASYMMETRY IN THE NON-PROF IT-MAKING PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHO WILL THUS BE ABLE TO OFFER PLACES ABOVE THE FORM 3 LEVEL TO A HIGHER PROPORTION OF THEIR OWN PUPILS, AND WILL ALSO ENABLE US TO ACHIEVE 50 PER CENT PROVISION OF PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES IN FORMS 4 TO 5.+

MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT HIS POWERS TO COMPEL ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL WOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER BY 1980 ALL CHILDREN UP TO THE IR 15TH BIRTHDAY.

+THIS MEANS THAT FROM 1980 IF I CONSIDER ANY PARENT OF A CHILD UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE TO BE KEEPING THAT CHILD FROM ATTENDING SCHOOL WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE I SHALL, AFTER INVESTIGATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SERVE AN ATTENDANCE ORDER UPON THE PARENT REQUIRING HIM TO HAVE HIS CHILD ATTEND A SCHOOL NAMED BY ME.

+ANY CHILDREN WHO HOWEVER HAVE COMPLETED THE FORM 3 COURSE BEFORE THE 18 15TH BIRTHDAY WILL NOT BE COMPELLED TO CONTINUE AT SCHOOL.+

HE ADDED: +AS SOME MEMBERS HAVE REMARKED, THE POSSESSION OF THE POWERS AND MY USE OF THEM HAVE BY NO MEANS COMPLETELY ELIMINATED NON-ATTENDANCE IN THE PRIMARY SECTOR.

+ I TAKE THIS POINT, AND I AM ESPECIALLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM OF THE CHILDREN OF THE BOAT PEOPLE. I HAVE RECENTLY INITIATED A STUDY OF THE PROBLEM OF THIS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY. FROM WHAT WE KNOW, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS LARGELY ONE OF RESETTLEMENT.

+WHILE A PROPORTION OF THESE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LIVE IN PER IPATETIC HOMES, IT WILL REMAIN WELL-NIGH IMPOSSIBLE TO ENSURE PROPER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY THEIR CHILDREN.

+THERE WILL ALSO BE PROBLEMS WITH CHILDREN IN THE REMOTE AREAS WHO WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLE TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

+1 FORESEE THAT GENERALLY THE 'ENFORCEMENT OF ATTENDANCE COULD WELL BE MORE DIFFICULT AT THE SECONDARY, OR 13-14 YEARS, LEVEL. TO ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER I AM SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICER POSTS WHICH WILL HAVE AS PART OF THEIR DUTIES INVESTIGATION OF CASES OF NON-ATTENDANCE.

/+ANOTHER FRAMI

FRATURE