XN000022-1989-02-24 — Page 9

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1989

8

MORE DAY NURSERIES TO MEET DEMAND

THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY PLANNING AND SETTING UF DAY NURSERIES IN NEW TOWNS TO MEET INCREASING DEMAND AS A RESULT OF THE COMPLETION OF NEW HOUSING ESTATES AND THE STEADY POPULATION GROWTH, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR T.H. CHAU, SAID THIS (FRIDAY)

AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE PO LEUNG KUK 86 HIN KENG NURSERY IN SHA TIN, MR CHAU SAID IT WAS EXPECTED THAT DURING 1989-90 AS MANY AS 11 DAY NURSERIES WOULD GO INTO OPERATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ANOTHER 13 WOULD BE OPENED BETWEEN 1990 AND 1992.

AT PRESENT, THERE WERE 245 REGISTERED DAY NURSERIES PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 28,256 PLACES IN HONG KONG AND 93 OF THEM WERE LOCATED IN NEW TOWNS.

DEMAND FOR CHILD CARE AND INDUSTRY IN

MR CHAU ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASING SERVICES TO THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMERCE RECENT YEARS.

"A LARGE NUMBER OF MARRIED WOMEN HAVE JOINED THE WORK FORCE, RESULTING IN A GREAT DEMAND FOR DAY CARE SERVICE FOR CHILDREN," HE EXPLAINED.

"IN VIEW OF THIS, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE THE CHILD CARE CENTRE ONE OF THE STANDARD SOCIAL SERVICES.

UNDER THE EXISTING POLICY, EACH AREA WITH A 20,000 WAS PROVIDED WITH 100 AIDED DAY CARE PLACES FOR BETWEEN TWO AND SIX.

I

POPULATION OF CHILDREN AGED

MR CHAU PAID TRIBUTE TO PO LEUNG KUK WHICH HE SAID HAD EVOLVED THROUGH THE YEARS INTO A DIVERSIFIED SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY.

WITH THE OPENING OF THE HIN KENG NURSERY, THE KUK HAD ESTABLISHED 20 NURSERIES, HE NOTED.

19