XN000022-1993-10-20 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1993

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* IT IS OF ADEQUATE STRENGTH AND FREE FROM PATENT DEFECT;

STEPS ARE TAKEN FOR ITS SAFE USE; AND

IT IS EXAMINED BY A COMPETENT EXAMINER EVERY SIX MONTHS.

THE COMPETENT EXAMINER SHOULD BE A REGISTERED ENGINEER REGISTERED UNDER THE ENGINEERS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE.

PROFESSIONAL

GENERAL POLICY ON RURAL SCHOOLS EXPLAINED

A NEW CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOL TO REPLACE FIVE SMALL VILLAGE 1995, SCHOOLS IN SAI KUNG IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER

ACTING THE

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR W K LAM, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE RURAL

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON TANG SIU-TONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR LAM SAID THIS WAS IN LINE WITH GENERAL POLICY ON RURAL SCHOOLS, WHICH SOUGHT TO REPLACE THOSE

LESS THAN SIX CLASSES BY LARGER SCHOOLS SCHOOL OPERATING WIDER CATCHMENT AREA.

-

SERVING A

SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RURAL SCHOOL POLICY IN 1981, THREE CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN BUILT

CENTRAL THE SAI KUNG PRIMARY SCHOOL, SHA TAU KOK CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOL AND HANG HAU CENTRAL SHING HANG FONG MEMORIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL.

LAM MR

NEW

THE NOTED THAT THERE WERE 127 RURAL SCHOOLS IN TERRITORIES IN 1993/94, COMPARED TO 134 IN 1992/93. THE ENROLMENTS ARE 15,560 AND 17,953 RESPECTIVELY.

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS ADVISED 10 RURAL SCHOOLS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT ADMIT PRIMARY ONE CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

IN ADDITION, 23 RURAL SCHOOLS MAY BE CLOSED DOWN IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS SEVEN EACH IN 1994/95 AND 1995/96, AND NINE IN 1996/97.

-

UPON CLOSURE OF A RURAL SCHOOL, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL CONSIDER WHETHER THE VACATED PREMISES CAN BE USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, SUCH AS A SPECIAL SCHOOL OR A TEACHING CENTRE.

"THE PREMISES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE RELEVANT DISTRICT

FOR OFFICE FOR DISPOSAL IF THEY ARE CONSIDERED UNSUITABLE

ANY EDUCATIONAL USE," SAID MR LAM.

LANDS

ARE

RECREATION

AT PRESENT, SOME OF THE FORMER RURAL SCHOOL PREMISES

AND AS OFFICES OF VILLAGE COMMITTEES, SOCIAL CENTRES FOR VILLAGERS OR ACTIVITY CENTRES FOR SCOUTS.

BEING

USED

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