XN000022-1981-05-27 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1981

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TOO MANY CHILDREN FOR ESTATE SCHOOL PLACES

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THERE IS AN INADEQUATE PROVISION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES IN TAI HING ESTATE BECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE NUMBER OF YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN THE ESTATE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITOR JES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY MR HO KAM-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+ABOUT 36 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF TAI HING ARE BELOW THE AGE OF NINE, AND THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF YOUNG FAMILIES WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER ARE ATTRACTED TO LIVE IN TUEN MUN, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES IN ALL PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES WERE PROVIDED ON A YARDSTICK OF ONE CLASSROOM FOR EVERY 850 PEOPLE, HE SAID.

+THIS STANDARD OF PROVISION MAKES CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE POPULATION STRUCTURE AND WE HAVE FOUND BY EXPERIENCE THAT THIS STANDARD IS ADEQUATE.

THE SITUATION IN TAI HING IS EXCEPTIONAL FOR THE REASONS EXPLAINED.

+HOWEVER I AM GLAD TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM IN TAI HING BY USING OTHER SCHOOL PREMISES IN THE VICINITY, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

A LONGER-TERM SOLUTION WOULD BE THE PROVISION OF MORE SCHOOL PREMISES WITHIN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.

*THE TAI HING SITUATION HAS ALERTED US TO A SITUATION WHICH MAY CROP UP ELSEWHERE, AND I WILL BE MEETING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE TO DECIDE WHAT ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE PROVISION OF FACILITIES TO MATCH THE SIZE AND STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION IF THIS SHOWS SIGNS OF HAPPENING ELSEWHERE, HE SAID.

BASIC FACILITIES PROVIDED IN MOST SQUATTER AREAS

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THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THAT BASIC FACILITIES SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN EXISTING LONG-STANDING SQUATTER AREAS, AND INDEED MOST OF THEM HAVE FACILITIES OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER, THE DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON WONG LAM AS TO WHAT PLAN THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO IMPROVE BASIC FACILITIES IN THE EXISTING SQUATTER AREAS, MR BARNES SAID SINCE 1975 MORE THAN 80 AREAS IN THE URBAN AREAS HAD BEEN PROVIDED WITH A LEGAL SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY AND ANOTHER 20 WOULD BE ADDED TO THESE SOON.

/MORE THAN