XN000022-1982-07-14 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1982

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EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON COLVYN HAYE, TODAY MOVED THE SECOND READING OF THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 WHICH PROPOSES TO GIVE EFFECT TO IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE MORE EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOLS.

MR HAYE SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT UNDER THE

WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS, ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS WOULD AS AT PRESENT BE COMPULSORY FROM THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOLLOWING THE CHILD'S REACHING THE AGE OF SIX, BUT WOULD BE PERMITTED FROM FIVE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS.

+THE CHANGE OF AGE OF ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL WILL BE INTRODUCED ADMINISTRATIVELY WITH EFFECT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1983,+ HE SAID.

HOWEVER, MR HAYE ADDED THAT THE AGE OF ENTRY TO SCHOOLS OPERATED BY THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION WOULD CONTINUE TO BE FIVE YEARS.

+THIS IS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM SYSTEM, IN WHICH PRIMARY EDUCATION IS FOR CHILDREN AGE FIVE TO 11-PLUS,+ HE EXPLAINED.

TO KEEP IN LINE WITH THE REDUCTION OF THE AGE OF ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL TO FIVE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS, MR HAYE SAID, THE BILL PROPOSES TO REDUCE THE LOWER AGE LIMIT OF FOUR YEARS IN THE DEFINITION OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION IN THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE THREE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS.

TO

THIS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WHITE PAPER WHICH STATES THAT PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES COULD MOST EFFECTIVELY BE DIVIDED AT THE AGE CORRESPONDING TO TWO YEARS BEFORE ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOL, WITH CHILDREN BELOW THAT AGE ATTENDING CHILD CARE CENTRES AND THOSE ABOVE THAT AGE ATTENDING KINDERGARTENS REGISTERED UNDER A SUITABLY AMENDED EDUCATION ORDINANCE, MR HAYE NOTED.

MR HAYE STRESSED THAT THE KEY TO THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN THE 1981 WHITE PAPER WAS CONSULTATION, PUBLICITY AND FLEXIBILITY.

+ALTHOUGH MY COLLEAGUE THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND I MYSELF HAVE BEEN AT PAINS TO STRESS THE FLEXIBILITY OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS, THERE IS STILL SOME UNEASE ON THE PART OF KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REASSURE THEM,+ MR HAYE SAID.

HE SAID THE CHANGE IN THE DEFINITION OF THE LOWER AGE LIMIT FOR KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION FROM FOUR YEARS TO THREE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER 1985.

MA HATE SAID