XN000022-1991-07-10 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1991

НЕ SAID THAT

THE

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NUMBER HAD BEEN DECLINING AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW PENSION SCHEME IN 1987 BECAUSE SERVING OFFICERS WHO WISHED TO SERVE UNTIL THE AGE OF 60 COULD ELECT TO JOIN THE NEW PENSION SCHEME.

ON HE EXTENSION OF SERVICE OF OFFICERS WHO SERVED UNDER THE NEW PENSION SCHEME, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WERE 32, 59 AND 98 OFFICERS AS AT APRIL 1, 1989, 1990 AND 1991.

SECONDARY ONE PLACES SUFFICIENT

THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT SECONDARY ONE PLACES TO ACCOMMODATE ALL PRIMARY 6 PUPILS PARTICIPATING IN THE 1991 SECONDARY SCHOOL, PLACES ALLOCATION ON A TERRITORY-WIDE BASIS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON JOHN CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON DAVID CHEUNG, DESPITE THIS OVERALL BALANCE, THERE WERE, AS IN IMBALANCES OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND WITHIN THE DISTRICTS.

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MR CHAN SAID

PAST YEARS +

ADMINISTRATIVE

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PRIMARY 6 PUPILS PARTICIPATING IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES ALLOCATION WAS 84,273.

1991

"THE SCHOOLS REPROVISIONING PROGRAMME WILL ADDRESS SOME OF MORE SERIOUS SHORTFALLS."

THE

NOR

HOWEVER, THE SECRETARY SAID IT WAS NEITHER PRACTICAL NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE A DISTRICT BY DISTRICT BALANCE BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENT FOR PLACES CHANGES AT A PACE WE COULD NOT HOPE TO MATCH WITH SCHOOL REPROVISIONING.

FOR DISTRICTS WITH AN IMMEDIATE SHORTFALL OF PLACES, MR CHAN SAID THAT THE SELECTION OF SCHOOLS AVAILABLE то PARENTS HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO INCLUDE SCHOOLS IN NEIGHBOURING DISTRICTS OR ALONG EASILY ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT ROUTES.

"WHERE NEW SCHOOLS ARE BEING PROVIDED, MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY IS TAKEN TO MEET ANY SHORTFALLS BY ACCELERATING THE BUILDING PROCESS; - BY OPERATING MORE JUNIOR CLASSES FOR THE INITIAL PERIOD; OR BY ADVANCING THE OPENING OF NEW SCHOOLS THROUGH THE INITIAL USE OF SHARED PREMISES," MR CHAN SAID.

ONE PLACES FOR

ALLOCATION

SINCE THERE WERE ENOUGH SECONDARY PURPOSES FOR THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR, THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO PLANS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER CLASS FROM 40 TO 45, OR TO BUY MORE PLACES FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

IN

"AS I HAVE EXPLAINED, WE DO ADJUST THE NUMBER OF CLASSES SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS DISTRICT SHORTFALLS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, WHENEVER IT IS NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE TO DO SO," HE ADDED.

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