XN000022-1991-11-13 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1991

NO STUDENTS SHOULD BE EXPELLED WITHOUT PROPER WARNING

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS SET UP AN AD HOC GROUP TO INVESTIGATE THE RECENTLY REPORTED CASES OF SCHOOLS ADVISING PUPILS TO LEAVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE то DIRECT EXPULSION AND TO FORMULATE PROPOSALS ΤΟ PREVENT THE RECURRENCE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, INFORMED

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE OUTCOME IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE SOON, HE ADDED.

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IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON TIK CHI-YUEN, CHAN SAID: "THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ALREADY ASSISTS IN PLACING DROP-OUT PUPILS WHO ARE WITHIN THE AGE OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION EITHER IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL OR IN ANOTHER APPROPRIATE SCHOOL.

"FOR PUPILS BEYOND THE AGE OF COMPULSORY BDUCATION, THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THEM ON SCHOOLS WITH VACANT PLACES TO WHICH THEY MAY APPLY FOR ADMISSION.

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BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS DROPPING OUT FROM SCHOOLS WAS 601 IN 1986/87, 794 IN 1987/88, 1,351 IN 1988/89, 1,212 IN 1989/90 AND 1,058 IN 1990/91.

THERE ARE NO SEPARATE STATISTICS SHOWING HOW MANY STUDENTS WITH POOR CONDUCT OR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WHO HAVE BREN ADVISED BY THEIR SCHOOLS TO LEAVE VOLUNTARILY. NO SUCH CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY THE SCHOOLS TO THE DEPARTMENT.

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE APPROACH ADOPTED BY SCHOOLS IN ADVISING STUDENTS TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL DID NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE FORMAL EXPULSION AND THEREFORE DID NOT CONTRAVENE THE CODE OF AID THOUGH THE PRACTICE WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE CODE.

"ACCORDING TO THE CODE, PUPILS SHOULD NOT BE EXPELLED SOLELY ON THE GROUND THAT THEY ARE ACADEMICALLY WEAK, MR CHAN SAID.

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"THEY MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR EXPULSION ONLY ON GROUNDS OF NON-PAYMENT OF GAZETTED FEES OR A GRAVE BREACH OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE, AFTER REASONABLE MEASURES TO ENLIST THE CO-OPERATION OF PARENTS HAVE PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.

"NO SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPIL SHOULD BE EXPELLED WITHOUT PROPER WARNING TO PARENTS AND THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SHOULD BE KEPT INFORMED OF ALL SUCH CASES AT THE WARNING STAGE.

"MOREOVER, THE EXPULSION OF ANY PUPIL AGED REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF THE DIRECTOR, HE ADDED.

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UNDER 15 YEARS

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