XN000022-1984-02-29 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1984

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SPEND ING ON EDUCATION TO GO UP 18 PER CENT

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THE CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN 1984-85 WILL BE $7.06 BILLION, NEARLY 18 PER CENT MORE THAN LAST YEAR.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID IN PRESENTING HIS BUDGET IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, THAT THIS EXPENDITURE WAS 16 PER CENT OF TOTAL CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE AND A 17.9 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1983-84.

CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPPING OF NEW BUILDINGS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR $719 MILLION, WHICH WAS 26 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1983-84.

SIR JOHN SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WAS TO PROVIDE PRIMARY SCHOOLS WITHIN REASONABLE WALKING DISTANCE FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, TO PROVIDE A SUBSIDISED PLACE FOR ALL PRIMARY 6 LEAVERS AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SENIOR SECONDARY PLACES IN SCHOOLS AND PLACES AT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND ADULT EDUCATION CENTRES TO MEET THE FULL DEMAND FROM FORM III LEAVERS WHO WERE SUITABLE FOR THE COURSES PROVIDED.

TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES 18 PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PROVIDING 37 800 PLACES MAINLY IN THE NEW TOWNS, AND 15 SECONDARY SCHOOLS PROVIDING INITIALLY 3 640 FORM AND 2 320 FORM IV PLACES WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 1984-85.

SIR JOHN SAID PLANNING FOR TWO NEW VOCATIONAL TRAINING WAS AT AN INSTITUTES - ONE AT SHA TIN AND ONE AT TUEN MUN - ADVANCED STAGE. THESE WOULD PROVIDE AN EXTRA 2 735 FULL TIME AND 13 875 PART TIME PLACES.

IN ADDITION, THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WOULD COMPLETE TWO NEW TRAINING CENTRE COMPLEXES AT KOWLOON BAY AND KWAI CHUNG IN 1984-85. THESE WOULD PROVIDE 8 080 TRAINING PLACES IN NINE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRES.

TOTAL GRANTS TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WOULD INCREASE FROM $255 MILLION IN 1983-84 TO $388 MILLION IN 1984-85.

EXPANSION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION INCLUDED NEW BUILDINGS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, AND ALSO THE COMMENCEMENT OF COURSES AT THE CITY POLYTECHNIC IN TEMPORARY PREMISES AT THE ARGYLE CENTRE. PLANNING FOR THE CITY POLYTECHNIC'S PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION AT TAT CHEE AVENUE WAS PROCEEDING AND SITE FORMATION SHOULD START NEXT YEAR.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNICS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT $1.57 BILLION IN 1984-85 COMPARED TH $1.32 BILLION IN 1983-84.

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