XN000022-1993-02-03 — Page 8

FURTHER OPTIONS

ON

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3,

1993

OF

THE MOTION BEFORE US SUGGESTS CERTAIN FURTHER MEANS ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE, INCLUDING A SCHEME TO SUPPLEMENT KINDERGARTEN TEACHER SALARIES AND EVENTUALLY BRINGING KINDERGARTENS INTO THE SCOPE OF SUBSIDISED EDUCATION. THE ADMINISTRATION IS PREPARED TO STUDY THESE SUGGESTIONS WITH AN OPEN MIND. I HOPE OTHERS WILL DO LIKEWISE. AS OF NOW, WE HAVE YET TO BE CONVINCED THAT THE BEST WAY OF ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO SHIFT FUNDING RESPONS LBILITY ENTIRELY TO THE PUBLIC PURSE. THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE FROM EXPERIENCE ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES CAN BRING SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, AND THAT TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND INTERVENTION COULD STIFLE SUCH INITIATIVES. THERE MUST ALSO BE COGENT REASONS FOR WHICH, WHEREAS PRIMARY AND, INCREASINGLY, SECONDARY EDUCATION IS FREE AND COMPULSORY IN MANY PLACES, ONLY ONE OR TWO COUNTRIES ARE SUBSIDISING KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION FULLY.

PHILOSOPHY APART, THERE ARE ALSO THE INEVITABLE QUESTIONS OF WHETHER WE CAN AFFORD TO SUBSIDISE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION FULLY, AND WHETHER THIS WILL BE A COST-EFFECTIVE THING TO DO. OUR ROUGH ESTIMATE IS THAT FULL SUBSIDISATION OF KINDERGARTENS WOULD COST SOME $1.3 BILLION A YEAR AT TODAY'S PRICES. BEARING IN MIND NUMEROUS COMPETING DEMANDS FOR RESOURCES WITHIN THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME WE MUST CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY AND CRITICALLY WHETHER SUCH LEVELS EXPENDITURE ARE BOTH FULLY JUSTIFIED AND AFFORDABLE.

OTHER AREA. OF

THE WAY AHEAD

PRIOR TO TODAY'S DEBATE, I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SPECIFIC PROPOSALS FROM A GROUP OF EDUCATIONAL BODIES, THROUGH MR CHEUNG MAN- KWONG, ON HOW THE IDEAS EMBODIED IN HIS MOTION MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED. I HAVE ASKED THE WORKING PARTY ON KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ΤΟ EXAMINE THOSE PROPOSALS IN DETAIL. MEMBERS WILL ALSO BE INTERESTED то KNOW THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION HAS DECIDED AT ITS LAST MEETING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE AREA OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION. THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE WORKING PARTY COULD USEFULLY BE FED INTO THE COMMISSION. THE COMMISSION COULD ALSO USEFULLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE OUTCOME OF THE RESEARCH INTO PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION WHICH IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EVALUATION EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT.

OF

CONCLUSION

TO CONCLUDE, MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, THE ADMINISTRATION IS ALREADY COMMITTED TO MAKING FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE KINDERGARTEN SECTOR AND WE ARE PREPARED TO LOOK AT OTHER PROPOSALS WITH AN OPEN MIND.

THANK YOU,

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