XN000022-1978-11-01 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1978

HONG KONG MAY NOT HAVE THE ABSURD SITUATION LIKE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE TENDENCY TOWARDS INCREASING LITIGATION CANNOT BE DISCOUNTED.

THE PREMIUM INVOLVED, WHICH WOULD COVER UNLIMITED LIABILITIES, SHOULD AMOUNT TO NO MORE THAN $250,000 A YEAR. +SET AGAINST THE TIME SPENT BY LEGAL OFFICERS IN DEFENDING ANY CLAIMS AND THE AMOUNTS SPENT IN FINAL SETTLEMENT, SUCH A SMALL INVESTMENT SEEMS EMINENTLY WORTHWHILE, HE ADDED.

LET THERE BE VARIETY AND DIVERSITY OF SCHOOLS MISS BENNETT

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SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY THOSE RUN BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, SHOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THE IR OWN CHARACTERISTICS, THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+DO NOT LET US PRETEND THAT AT THE END OF THE DECADE ALL SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE EQUAL, SHE SAID, LET US REJOICE RATHER THAT THERE WILL BE VARIETY AND DIVERSITY.

+ IF WE DESIRE OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ALL THE SAME WITH NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE AND BRILLIANCE, WE SHALL BE DESTROYING THE NATURAL HONG KONG ABILITY TO EXCEL.+

SHE SUPPORTED THE GIVING OF SPECIAL GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE NEW CURRICULA IN CERTAIN SUBJECTS, AND FURTHER URGED THAT EACH SCHOOL RUN BY A VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION BE ENCOURAGED TO EXCEL IN AT LEAST ONE PARTICULAR FIELD.

SHE THOUGHT THAT CHARGING TONG FAI HAS ENABLED THE AIDED SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW SUGGESTIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE DELAYED BY BUREAUCRACY, AND THE BENEFITS OF THIS TO THE STUDENTS ARE APPRECIATED BY THE PARENTS.

AS THESE BENEFITS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE SENIOR SECTION OF A SCHOOL, SHE ASKED THAT TONG FAI IN FORMS IV TO VI BE KEPT AND BE INCREASED WHEN NECESSARY. SHE ALSO URGED THAT AIDED SCHOOLS BE ALLOWED TO RETAIN FLEXIBILITY AND FREEDOM TO SPEND RECURRENT GRANTS WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITS.

REGARDING THE ABOLITION OF TONG FAI IN FORMS I TO III, MISS BENNETT POINTED OUT THAT A SCHEME HAS YET TO BE WORKED OUT WHICH

IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE VOLUNTARY BODIES, BY WHICH THE CHILD DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY EXTRA CHARGES AND YET THEY HAVE THE FREEDOM TO RUN THE IR SCHOOLS ON THE IR OWN LINES WITH THE IR OWN EMPHASIS.

/SHE STRESSED