XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 47

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

31

I NOW TURN TO THE PARTICULAR POINTS.

EDUCATION EXPENDITURE

ON

ITS GOVERNMENT'S

FOUNDED

OF MANY

HONG KONG'S SOCIAL PROGRESS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IS

ONE-FIFTH HUMAN

CLAIMED ASSET. EDUCATION HAS RIGHTLY

FOR ITEM RECURRENT SPENDING, THE SINGLE LARGEST YEARS. IT HAS GROWN IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 16%.

BE VIEWED THE SLIGHTLY LOWER INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR MUST THEREFORE

STEADY,

AND LONG

STRONG AGAINST THIS

GROWTH, AND

THE AGAINST

SINCE BACKGROUND THAT OUR SCHOOL POPULATION HAS IN FACT BEEN DROPPING 1992.

KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION

A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAVE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT THE TWIN

OF APPROACH

PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AND SUBSIDIZING

ORDER TO KINDERGARTENS IN

PRINCIPLE UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION. WE AGREE IN

SUPPLY OF TO THIS APPROACH. BUT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS ADEQUATE TRAINED TEACHERS TO MEET THE SPECIFIED REQUIREMENT, AND HAVING REGARD TO RESOURCES AVAILABLE, FIRST PRIORITY MUST BE GIVEN TO TRAINING. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED.

AND

THE

MANY TEACHERS, WE ACCEPT

A VALID ARGUMENT ADVANCED BY SOME MEMBERS FOR IMPLEMENTING SUBSIDY

IS THAT WITHOUT SCHEME EARLIER

SCHEME, THE SUBSIDY

TRAINED KINDERGARTENS WOULD HAVE TO RAISE FEES TO RETAIN THUS RESULTING IN INCREASED FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR PARENTS. THE LOGIC OF THIS ARGUMENT. BUT THE SCALE OF SUBSIDY PAYABLE AND ITS ASSESSED. IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL KINDERGARTEN FEES MUST BE CAREFULLY

ON PARENTS THIS IS TO MINIMISE ANY ADVERSE IMPACT OF FRE INCREASES AND TO ENSURE THAT THESE SUBSIDIES WOULD NOT BE TURNED INTO ADDITIONAL ARE NOW PROFITS. THESE IMPORTANT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS BEING EXAMINED IN DETAIL URGENTLY SO THAT AN APPROPRIATE SCHEME CAN BE AND DEVISED FOR FINAL APPROVAL. PROVIDED THAT THE NECESSARY APPROVAL FUNDING CAN BE SECURED, I HOPE TO INTRODUCE THIS DIRECT SUBSIDY SCHEME THIS MEANS THAT IN THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR STARTING SEPTEMBER 1995. WE WILL BE ADVANCING THE SUBSIDY SCHEME 12 MONTHS AHEAD OF MY COMMITMENT, THIS SHOULD I HOPE BE WELCOME TO MEMBERS AND THOSE IN KINDERGARTEN SECTOR.

MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

POLICY

THE

ARE FULLY

SCHOOLS AS COMPARED

TEACHING

WITH THOSE BY THE DEPARTMENT; GUIDANCE TO ALL SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER 1997 ON THE APPROPRIATE MEDIUM TO ADOPT AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1998.

MEASURES IN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF CONCERN

OF INSTRUCTION. TO ADOPT CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM ENCOURAGING SCHOOLS MEMBERS

WE HAVE OF THE AWARE

MANY POSITIVE MEASURES INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF EXTRA INTRODUCED,

TEACHERS. ENGLISH TO OVERCOME THIS AND TO *PARENTAL ATTITUDE REMAINS THE MAJOR PROBLEM.

ITS PUBLICITY ASSIST SCHOOLS FURTHER, THE DEPARTMENT WILL INTENSIFY AND EDUCATION

PROGRAMMES ADOPTED BY CHECK THE EFFORTS;

AND GIVE FIRM TEACHING

/TARGET ORIENTED