XN000022-1983-06-10 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1983

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PROPOSAL TO ALLOW NURSERY CLASSES IN KINDERGARTENS

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NURSERY CLASSES WILL BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN KINDERGARTENS FROM SEPTEMBER 1985 UNDER A PROPOSAL PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.

THE PROPOSAL IS CONTAINED IN THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, WHICH WAS DRAWN UP AFTER CONSULTATION WITH KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1985, THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE WILL DEFINE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION AS BEING FOR CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN THREE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS AND FIVE YEARS.

OPERATORS OF KINDERGARTENS WITH NURSERY CLASSES ENROLL ING STUDENTS UNDER THREE YEARS EIGHT MONTHS WILL ALSO HAVE TO REGISTER THESE CLASSES UNDER THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES AWAY WITH THE NEED FOR DOUBLE REGISTRATION AND HALF-DAY NURSERY CLASSES WILL ONLY HAVE TO BE REGISTERED UNDER THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE AMENDMENT AIMS TO SIMPLIFY PROCEDURES WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY.*

TO ENSURE THAT THE CLASSES WILL BE OPERATED TO HIGH STANDARDS, THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1983, GAZETTED TODAY, WILL REQUIRED NURSERY CLASSES TO COMPLY WITH SIMILAR PROVISIONS ́ AS FOR FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS.

THESE INCLUDE THE QUAL IF ICATIONS OF PRINCIPALS, SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND CLASS SIZE, AND WILL BE BROUGHT INTO EFFECT AT A LATER DATE SO AS TO GIVE SUFFICIENT TIME FOR KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS TO COMPLY.

ALSO PUBLISHED TODAY IS THE CHILD CARE CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, WHICH BRINGS PENALTIES UNDER THE ORDINANCE INTO LINE WITH THOSE FOR COMPARABLE OFFENCES IN THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE.

IF THIS BILL IS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS TO MAKE OFFENCES AND PENALTIES IN THE CHILD CARE CENTRES REGULATIONS MORE COMPARABLE WITH THOSE IN THE EDUCATION REGULATIONS.

+THIS IS A FURTHER STEP IN RATIONALISING THE PROVISION OF SERVICES TO PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN AS ENVISAGED IN THE 1981 WHITE PAPER, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE TWO BILLS GAZETTED TODAY WILL BE PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JUNE 29. DEBATE ON THEIR SECOND READING AND THE IR THIRD READING IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED AT THE COUNCIL SITTING ON JULY 13.

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