XN000022-1993-04-21 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1993

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AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO UPDATE EDUCATION ORDINANCE

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A BILL THAT SEEKS TO PROPOSE ADDITIONS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE EDUCATION FIELD AND TO REMOVE OUT-OF-DATE PROVISIONS AND REDUNDANCIES IN THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1993, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WAS TO GIVE THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION NEW POWERS INSPECT AND REMOVE DOCUMENTS FROM SUSPECTED UNREGISTERED SCHOOLS.

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REMOVAL OF THIS LACUNA WILL ENABLE THE DIRECTOR TO TACKLE EFFECTIVELY THE PROBLEMS POSED BY UNREGISTERED SCHOOLS, HE NOTED.

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ANOTHER PROVISION IN THE BILL EMPOWERS THE DIRECTOR To ACTION AGAINST UNREGISTERED SCHOOLS WHICH CLAIM FALSELY TO BE REGISTERED SCHOOLS IN ADVERTISEMENTS.

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"THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A PROVISION NOW HAS HAMPERED ATTEMPTS EXERCISE PROPER CONTROL OVER ILLEGAL SCHOOLS, MR CHAN SAID.

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AT PRESENT, AN OPERATION PROVIDING EDUCATION TO FEWER THAN STUDENTS DURING ANY ONE DAY IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED AS Á SCHOOL.

THERE IS INCREASING PUBLIC CONCERN THAT PRIVATE TUTORIAL CENTRES WHICH MAKE USE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY BY OPERATING IN SMALL DOMESTIC PREMISES IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY SAFEGUARD THE SAFETY AND THE INTERESTS OF STUDENTS.

MR CHAN SAID: "WE PROPOSE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO CAN BE TAUGHT IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES AT ANY TIME DURING THE DAY TO FEWER THAN EIGHT WHILE RETAINING THE PRESENT PROVISION OF NOT REQUIRING OPERATIONS INVOLVING FEWER THAN 20 STUDENTS ON ANY ONE DAY TO BE REGISTERED.

"THIS CHANGE WILL NOT AFFECT INTEREST GROUPS, SUCH AS THOSE RUN BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, WHICH OFFER COURSES OF A NON-ACADEMIC NATURE."

THE BILL FURTHER SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN SCHOOL MANAGEMENT.

IT PROPOSES TO GIVE SPONSORING BODIES APPROPRIATE POWERS IN APPOINTING AND DISMISSING SCHOOL MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS.

BY FORMALISING THE ROLE OF THE SPONSORING BODY IN THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY, MR CHAN SAID, THE AMENDMENT WOULD HELP ΤΟ FACILITATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE,

REGARDING THE GENERAL TIDYING UP OF PROVISIONS, THE BILL PROPOSES TO DELETE SECTION 4 IN THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WHICH SETS OUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO SUPERINTEND MATTERS RELATING TO EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.

/THIS PROVISION