XN000022-1978-03-09 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1978

1.

EDUCATION GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY IN PLANNING NEW TOWNS, SAYS SECRETARY FOR HOUSING

*****

THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IS ALWAYS GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY BY TOWN PLANNERS AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS PLEASED TO ASSIST IN MEETING THE SCHOOL NEEDS OF ITS TENANTS' CHILDREN, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR. ALAN SCOTT, SAID TODAY.

MR. SCOTT WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE PO LEUNG KUK NO. 5 PRIMARY SCHOOL AT TAI HING ESTATE. MRS. SCOTT OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY.

HE SAID THAT THE IMPORTANCE TRADITIONALLY ACCORDED TO EDUCATION COULD BE REFLECTED BY THE FACT THAT IN PLANNING NEW TOWNS PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WERE ITEMS WHICH APPEARED IN THE EARLIEST STAGES OF PLANNING, TOGETHER WITH HOUSING AND OTHER COMMUNAL FACILITIES.

+SCHOOLS IN THE NEW TOWNS WILL BE PLACED ACTUALLY IN OR AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, WHERE MOST OF THE POPULATION WILL BE LIVING,+ MR. SCOTT SAID.

HE ADDED THAT TO BUILD SCHOOLS CLOSE TO HOMES WAS OBVIOUSLY DESIRABLE AS SCHOOL PREMISES WERE MUCH USED FOR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AFTER SCHOOL HOURS.

+WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY FROM THE DAYS WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY TO USE ROOFTOPS FOR SCHOOLS- AND IT IS VERY GOOD TO SEE FACILITIES SUCH AS THOSE AROUND US BEING PROVIDED FOR THE CHILDREN OF TODAY'S HONG KONG.

MR. SCOTT ALSO COMPLIMENTED THE PO LEUNG KUK FOR THE HELP IT HAS GIVEN TO NEEDY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AND IN PARTICULAR IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN THE PAST TEN YEARS.

+THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL, I AM SURE, ALWAYS BE WILLING TO HELP THE KUK IN IMPLEMENTING THEIR EDUCATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAMME, WHICH SO WELL DESERVES TO GROW FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH,+ MR. SCOTT SAID.

/2