XN000022-1994-11-23 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994

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SPENDING $163M IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND TRAINING FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING COURSES FOR 1,130 SERVING TEACHERS IN 1995-96, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CERTIFICATE COURSE IN THE SAME YEAR. WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION ON THESE COURSES AND I WELCOME THE ASSURANCE GIVEN TO THIS COUNCIL BY THE HON SIMON IP IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INSTITUTE;

WE ALSO REQUIRE EACH KINDERGARTEN TO HAVE AT LEAST 40% OF THEIR TEACHERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING BY SEPTEMBER 1995 AND BY SEPTEMBER 1997 WE WILL REQUIRE THAT TRAINED TEACHERS, AT LEAST 40% OF THE TEACHERS, SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED ADVANCED TRAINING.

ADDITION, WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO EXAMINE THE QUESTION OF DIRECTLY SUBSIDISING KINDERGARTENS AND TAKE A DECISION ON THIS MATTER IN 1995.

THIS LAST COMMITMENT HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF LIVELY DISCUSSION THIS COUNCIL AND THE WIDER EDUCATION COMMUNITY SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED.

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THE CASE FOR INTRODUCING DIRECT SUBSIDY TO KINDERGARTENS HAS BEEN WELL ARGUED BY MEMBERS. AN IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO ENABLE KINDERGARTENS TO PAY THEIR TRAINED TEACHERS AT SALARIES RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNMENT SO THAT THEY MAY RETAIN EXPERTISE, REDUCE WASTAGE. AND HENCE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION. WE ACCEPT THE LOGIC OF THIS ARGUMENT. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE WIDE RANGE OF KINDERGARTENS IN OPERATION HALF-DAY AND FULL DAY; PROFIT-MAKING AND NON-PROFIT-MAKING; AND THE WIDELY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FEES BEING CHARGED THE FORMULATION OF A SUITABLE SUBSIDY SCHEME IS A COMPLEX EXERCISE. AN EXERCISE NOT MADE EASIER BY THE FACT THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF KINDERGARTENS ARE NOT PAYING THEIR TRAINED TEACHERS RECOMMENDED SALARIES; NOT MADE EASIER BY THE FACT THAT INDIVIDUAL KINDERGARTEN FEES RANGE FROM A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS AT ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM TO A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS AT THE OTHER END WITH VAST VARIATIONS IN BETWEEN; AND ABOVE ALL BY THE NEED TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE REPERCUSSIONS ON THE LEVELS OF FEES WHICH KINDERGARTEN OPERATORS WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE IN ORDER TO PAY THEIR TRAINED TEACHERS AT RECOMMENDED SALARIES. ALSO ANOTHER AREA WE MUST EXAMINE CAREFULLY IS THE IMPLICATION OF SUCH SUBSIDY ON THE OPERATION OF OUR CHILD C'ARE CENTRES, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT WHICH MEMBERS WOULD NOT WISH US TO OVERLOOK.

WE ARE AT THE MOMENT EXAMINING THIS COMPLEX SUBJECT URGENTLY WITH A VIEW TO DEVISING AN APPROPRIATE AND WORKABLE SUBSIDY SCHEME AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE. THEREAFTER, PROVIDED THAT THE NECESSARY POLICY APPROVAL CAN BE OBTAINED AND FUNDING SECURED, WE HOPE TO MAKE A START ON THE SCHEME IN SEPTEMBER 1995. THIS IS THE BEST WE CAN ACHIEVE UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

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