XN000022-1981-07-22 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1931

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DISTINCTION BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND CHILD CARE CENTRE SERVICES

THE DISTINCTION PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, BASED ON HOURS OF OPERATION, HAS BEEN REVISED. PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES WILL BE DIVIDED AT THE AGE CORRESPONDING TO TWO YEARS BEFORE ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL. CHILDREN BELOW THAT AGE WILL ATTEND AN INSTITUTION REGISTERED UNDER THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE AND THOSE ABOVE THAT AGE WILL ATTEND KINDERGARTENS REGISTERED UNDER A SUITABLY AMENDED EDUCATION ORDINANCE. THESE ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE PHASED IN OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 1982. THE PRIMARY SCHOOL COURSE WILL REMAIN AT SIX YEARS WITH THE NORMAL AGE OF ENTRY AT SIX,

THERE WILL ALSO BE A REDUCTION IN CLASS SIZE AS WAS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, FOR KINDERGARTENS (TO 30) AND FOR PUBLIC SECTOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS (TO 40, WHILE ALLOWING 35 FOR SCHOOLS ADOPTING THE ACTIVITY APPROACH').

THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE STANDARDS OF PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES ARE REAFFIRMED. THESE INCLUDE INTENSIVE PART-TIME IN-SERVICE COURSES AND, IN THE LONGER TERM, PRE-SERVICE INITIAL TRAINING FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS. KINDERGARTENS WILL BE REQUIRED TO EMPLOY A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF TRAINED TEACHERS IN STAGES STARTING FROM SEPTEMBER 1984. A NEW TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR BOTH KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AND CHILD CARE CENTRE STAFF IS ALSO EXPECTED TO BE SET UP BY SEPTEMBER 1984.

IMPROVED FEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES

IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS THAT THE SCALE OF FEE ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER WAS TOO LOW, THE SCALE HAS BEEN IMPROVED. THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE WILL NOW BE REDUCED BY ONLY $15 (INSTEAD OF $20) FOR EVERY $100 EARNED BY THE FAMILY ABOVE THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE LEVEL, LESS ALLOWABLE DEDUCTIONS FOR RENT. THE MAXIMUM RENT DEDUCTION HAS BEEN

INCREASED FROM 20 PER CENT TO 30 PER CENT OF TOTAL FAMILY INCOME.

THE MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASED FROM $220 TO $310 PER MONTH FOR CHILD CARE CENTRES AND FROM $90 TO $100 FOR KINDERGARTENS. THESE FIGURES WILL BE REVISED FROM TIME TO TIME TO REFLECT APPROVED FEE INCREASES.

FURTHER, TO ALLAY THE FEARS OF EXISTING SUBVENTED CHILD CARE CENTRES THAT THEY MIGHT FACE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN THE EVENT OF SUDDEN FLUCTUATIONS IN ENROLMENT AND REDUCTION IN FEE INCOME NON-PROF IT-MAKING CENTRES WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT SUBVENTION. THIS WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO 5 PER CENT OF TOTAL INCOME FROM FEES BASED ON THE APPROVED CAPACITY, SUBJECT TO THE FEE LEVEL BEING APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE.

DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO NON-PROF IT- MAKING RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES, AS WELL AS TO CENTRES CATERING FOR DISABLED CHILDREN WHERE COSTS ARE HIGHER DUE TO THE NEED TO EMPLOY ADDITIONAL STAFF.

TO ENCOURAGE

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