XN000022-1982-07-28 — Page 9

7

WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1982

REASSURANCE FOR KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS

*****

THE HON COLVYN HAYE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TODAY (WEDNESDAY) REMINDED THE OPERATORS OF KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS WITH BABY OR NURSERY CLASSES THAT THE INTENTION OF THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL WAS NOT TO PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARDS OF OPERATION.

WINDING UP THE DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING, MR HAYE SAID HE HAD EARLIER MET WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES CONCERNED.

+1 WAS RELIEVED TO FIND THAT THERE WAS NO REAL QUARREL WITH THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE WHITE PAPER AND THE CONCEPT OF COMPLEMENTARY CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION.

+FEARS, SUCH AS THEY WERE, STEMMED FROM A MISUNDERSTANDING OF OFFICIAL INTENTION, AND APPREHENSIONS RELATED TO THE PRACTICAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE RESPECTIVE ORDINANCES, HE SAID.

A START HAD BEEN MADE TO CLEAR UP THIS MISUNDERSTANDING, AND THE AUTHORITIES WERE LOOKING INTO THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES RELATING TO REGISTRATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

+THE SUGGESTIONS MADE BY DR FANG AND HIS COLLEAGUES WILL CERTAINLY BE BORNE IN MIND AS TALKS WITH SCHOOL OPERATORS CONTINUE, AND HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE SOLVED MOST OF OUR PROBLEMS BY THE END OF THE YEAR, HE SAID.

MR HAYE WAS SPEAKING AFTER THREE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAD EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS ON THE BILL AND THE RELATED CHILD CARE CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982.

THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID THAT KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS WERE CONCERNED WITH THE BILLS AS THEY APPLIED TO THE BABY OR NURSERY CLASSES, WHICH EXISTED IN MOST KINDERGARTENS.

SHE NOTED THAT WITH THE PASSING OF THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER THREE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED INTO THESE CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER 1985 UNLESS THE CLASSES ARE RE-REGISTERED AS CHILD CARE CENTRES THAT MUST MEET, MORE STRINGENT REQUIRMENTS.

THE HON DR HARRY FANG AND THE HON MR CHAN KAM CHUEN URGED THAT AN ADVISORY BODY BE SET UP TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT ARISE IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD. SPEAKING ON THE CHILD CARE CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON ANSON CHAN, SAID THAT THE INTENTION OF IMPROVING STANDARDS IN KINDERGARTENS WAS TO BRING SOME OF THEIR PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES CLOSER TO THOSE IN CHILD CARE CENTRES.

I BELIEVE WE CAN TAKE SOME PRIDE IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AVAILABLE IN OUR CHILD CARE CENTRES AND I AM SURE THAT THE PUBLIC AND PARENTS READILY ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION SUCH SERVICES MAKE TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUNG CHILDREN, + SHE SAID.

18