XN000022-1994-06-22 — Page 43

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1994

STIPULATED

MR LAM SAID THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS THE REGISTRATION OF THE SCHOOLS, THEIR MANAGERS AND TEACHERS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OBTAINING HIS PRIOR APPROVAL BEFORE COURSES COULD BE OFFERED.

"COMPLIANCE IS

MONITORED THROUGH REGULAR INSPECTIONS BY THE SCHOOL INSPECTORS AND INVESTIGATIONS INTO

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT COMPLAINTS RECEIVED," HE SAID.

COMMENTING ON THE PRIVATE SCHOOL MENTIONED BY MR CHEUNG IN HIS QUESTION, MR LAM SAID IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, IN THE COURSE OF INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS, STAFF OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DISCOVERED A NUMBER OF IRREGULARITIES IN THE SCHOOL INCLUDING THE RUNNING OF COURSES FOR WHICH THE APPROVAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION HAD NOT BEEN OBTAINED.

"A WARNING LETTER WAS ISSUED AND THE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS A REGISTERED SCHOOL, WAS GIVEN SEVEN DAYS TO RECTIFY THE IRREGULARITIES.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, LEGAL ADVICE WAS SOUGHT FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS ON WHETHER PROSECUTION MIGHT BE INSTITUTED. THE IRREGULARITIES WERE DULY RECTIFIED. NO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS WERE INSTITUTED, MR LAM SAID.

MR

LAM NOTED THAT A TOTAL OF SIX COMPLAINTS, INCLUDING VERBAL COMPLAINTS, WERE RECEIVED AND HAD BEEN FULLY INVESTIGATED.

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0

PUBLIC QUERIES ANSWERED ON TV

* * * *

THE MAIN AIM OF RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG'S (RTHK) "ACCESS" PROGRAMME IS TO EXPLAIN MATTERS OF GENERAL CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO ANSWER PUBLIC QUERIES, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MRS RACHEL CARTLAND, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MRS

OF THE ORGANISATIONS

THE

IN HER WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON STEVEN POON, CARTLAND

ENQUIRIES SAID

AND COMPLAINTS SENT IN BY MEMBERS PUBLIC WERE ANSWERED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF CONCERNED.

"THERE ARE NO SET CRITERIA FOR ALLOCATING AIR TIME TO ANY ORGANISATION, MRS CARTLAND SAID.

"THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH AN ORGANISATION APPEARS ON THE PROGRAMME LARGELY DEPENDS ON THE FREQUENCY AND NUMBER OF QUERIES RECEIVED CONCERNING THAT ORGANISATION'S AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY,' ADDED.

STATISTICS, CITING

SHE

"ACCESS" NON-GOVERNMENT

"

MRS CARTLAND SAID OF THE 208 PROGRAMMES PRODUCED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, 76 FEATURED ORGANISATIONS.

/SHE POINTED