XN000022-1993-02-03 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1993

NORMAL SCHOOLING FOR HIV-POSITIVE STUDENTS

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THE RISK OF TRANSMITTING THE AIDS VIRUS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS CONSIDERED BY THE MEDICAL PROFESSION TO BE VERY LOW PROVIDED THAT PROPER PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN AGAINST BLOOD-BORNE DISEASES, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS PEGGY LAM, MR CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY REGARDING HIV-POSITIVE STUDENTS WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN THE NORMAL SCHOOL SETTING AS LONG AS THEY WERE MEDICALLY FIT TO DO SO.

HIV-POSITIVE THE DIRECTOR THE ULTIMATE

"IF A SCHOOL EXPELS OR REFUSES TO TAKE BACK AN STUDENT WHO IS CONSIDERED SUITABLE FOR NORMAL SCHOOLING, OF EDUCATION HAS AVAILABLE, UNDER THE CODE OF AID, SANCTION OF REDUCING OR WITHDRAWING ANY SUBSIDY TO THAT SCHOOL, HE SAID.

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ON A RECENT CASE IN WHICH THE SCHOOL HAD BEEN UNWILLING TO TAKE BACK AN HIV-INFECTED STUDENT BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION FROM PARENTS OF OTHER CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL, MR CHAN SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD, WITH THE FULL AGREEMENT OF THE PARENTS CONCERNED, ADOPTED A PRAGMATIC ATTITUDE AND MADE INTERIM ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE STUDENT ΤΟ CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION IN A SMALL GROUP SETTING.

THE AIM TS TO PLACE HIM IN AN ORDINARY SCHOOL AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.

"IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS CONSIDERED INAPPROPRIATE ΤΟ CONTEMPLATE ANY ACTION AGAINST THE SCHOOL IN QUESTION,' MR CHAN SAID.

IT

APART FROM THIS CASE, MR CHAN SAID NO STUDENT AGED BELOW 16 HAD BEEN FORMALLY EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL AFTER HAVING CONTRACTED AIDS DURING TREATMENT FOR HAEMOPHILIA.

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ALL BEDSPACE APARTMENTS TO BE LICENSED BY 1995

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ALL BEDSPACE APARTMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO OPERATE UNDER LICENCE BY THE END OF 1995 AND ALL THE DISPLACED LODGERS WILL BE ACCOMMODATED IN ALTERNATIVE HOUSING.

THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR ALBERT LAM CHI-CHỊU, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MAN SAI-CHEONG, MR LAM SAID A BILL ON THIS WAS BEING DRAFTED AND SUBJECT TO THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, IT WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE CURRENT SESSION.

/THE GOVERNMENT,