XN000022-1979-02-28 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1979

ON JUNIOR EDUCATION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID A FURTHER EXPANSION TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 29,932 FORMS 1 TO 11 PLACES WOULD CONTINUE IN 1979-80 WITH A VIEW TO ACCOMMODATING ALL CHILDREN IN THE 12-14 AGE-GROUP BY THE BEGINNING OF THE 1980-81 ACADEMIC YEAR.

TURNING TO SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, HE SAID THE 1979-80 DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 4.243 FORMS IV-V PLACES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WHITE PAPER, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION,+ PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 1978.

+THEY ALSO PROVIDE FOR INCREASES AT THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES (INCLUDING A FIFTH TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WHICH WILL OPEN IN KOWLOON TONG IN SEPTEMBER 1979) IN FULL-TIME STUDENTS FROM 3,400 TO 4,300, AND IN STUDENTS ON PART-TIME DAY RELEASE COURSES/ FROM 8,600 TO 12,200. THESE PLACES WILL FURTHER AUGMENT THE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORM || LEAVERS, HE SAID,

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THE DRAFT ESTIMATES ALSO INCLUDED PROVISION FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF A SCHEME TO ASSIST CERTAIN APPROVED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES TO PROVIDE PLACES AT THE FORM VI AND TERTIARY LEVELS, WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE MEETING OF TARGETS ENVISAGED IN THE WHITE PAPER.

+DETAILED FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE STILL UNDER DISCUSSION WITH THE RELEVANT COLLEGE AUTHORITIES BUT FUNDS HAVE BEEN EARMARKED TO ENABLE ASSISTANCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR 950 FORM VI PLACES IN SEPTEMBER 1979, + HE SAID.

MR. HADDON-CAVE ADDED THAT IT WAS PROPOSED TO BRING 70 PRIVATE NON-PROF IT MAKING SCHOOLS UNDER THE CODE OF AID FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER 1979.

+THE ESTIMATED COST OVER THE FOUR-YEAR PERIOD WILL BE ABOUT $146 MILLION,+ HE SAID.

+THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES DESCRIBED IN THE WHITE PAPER WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION OF $177 MILLION IN 1979-80, RISING TO $644 MILLION BY 1985-86 (AT 1978 PRICES). THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WILL TOTAL ABOUT $940 MILLION OVER THE SAME PER IOD, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.

+AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND IT IS APPROPRIATE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE LEVEL OF FEES CHARGED AT THE SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY LEVELS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REFLECT A REASONABLE LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE COST OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.

+ IN THIS CONTEXT THE WHITE PAPER HAS INDICATED THAT THE STANDARD SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES, WHICH HAVE REMAINED STATIC SINCE 1965, WILL RISE TO $600 A YEAR IN FORMS IV AND V AND $800 IN FORMS VI BY 1980. vì

+THE FIRST PHASES OF THESE INCREASES, TO $500 AND $620 RESPECTIVELY, WILL TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER 1979, BUT STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED BY THE EXISTING FEE REMISSION SCHEMES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.

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