XN000022-1978-04-12 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1978

JUSTIFICATION FOR FREE PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT AS THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF PRIMARY EDUCATION WERE FREE, SO SHOULD BE THE THREE YEARS OF JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

MR. TOPLEY WAS REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY A NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WHO DOUBTED THE NEED OR WISDOM OF ABOLISHING FEES IN FORMS 1-3 IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY COMPULSORY JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR WHICH PEOPLE HAD TO PAY.

+EVEN A FEE REMISSION SCHEME, NO MATTER HOW GENEROUS, DOES INVOLVE SOME FORM OF MEANS TESTING, RESISTANCE TO WHICH COULD LEAD TO DIFFICULTIES IN A SYSTEM OF COMPULSION.

+WE MUST REMOVE FROM OUR SYSTEM, TOO, ANYTHING WHICH ENCOURAGES OR CAN BE USED TO JUSTIFY UNDER-AGED CHILDREN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT,+ MR. TOPLEY EMPHASISED.

HE ADDED: IT IS HIGH TIME THAT HONG KONG CAME INTO LINE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE MORE SOCIALLY ADVANCED AND TECHNOLOGICALLY DEVELOPING COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING UNIVERSALLY A SOUND BASIC COURSE OF EDUCATION, IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITY THIS BASIC COURSE CAN BE NO SHORTER THAN NINE YEARS.+

ON 'TONG FAĽ. THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT FIRM PROPOSALS HAD BEEN FORMULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THESE HAD BEEN SUBMITTED RECENTLY TO THE VARIOUS SCHOOL COUNCILS FOR THEIR COMMENT.

HE SAID: +SUBJECT TO THE AGREEMENT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE COMMENTS OF SCHOOL COUNCILS, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO ABOLISH TONG FAI IN FORMS 1-3 IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR UP TO THE LIMIT WHICH WE CAN REASONABLY JUSTIFY.

+TO ACHIEVE THIS IT PROPOSES TO INCREASE THE PRESENT CAPITATION GRANT TO AIDED SCHOOLS BY $120 PER ANNUM WHICH SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO COVER THOSE ITEMS PREVIOUSLY MET FROM TONG FAI'.

+A SMALL NUMBER OF THE LONGER ESTABLISHED SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS AS A RESULT OF EXTRA FACILITIES BUILT UP IN PAST YEARS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO RETAIN AN ELEMENT OF TONG FAI'.+

THE LEVYING OF TONG FAI' COULD CONTINUE IN FORMS 4-6 BUT IT WOULD BE REDUCED IN ALL LOAN-BEARING SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WAS PROPOSING TO WAIVE THE BALANCE OF ALL LOANS I AIDED AND NON-PROFIT-MAKING SCHOOLS.

/REFERRING TO