XN000022-1995-12-13 — Page 32

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Reply:

Mr President,

(a) To meet the demand for primary school places from an increasing number of Chinese immigrant children who are aged between 6 and 12 over the next few years, we are committed to building five additional primary schools for completion in 1997- 98. In the interim, we are making use of the existing vacancies in primary and secondary schools resultant from an overall decline in our school population to accommodate these children. We shall conduct a review of the longer term requirements for school places at different levels, including secondary schools, as well as the various support services in 1996.

(b) There is close co-ordination among various sections in the Education Department in the provision of services to immigrant children and their parents. These services include school placement, tailor-made induction programme, remedial teaching, and guidance and counselling service.

On guidance and counselling, student guidance officers/student guidance teachers are stationed in primary schools to assist in:

(i)

promoting pupils' positive behaviour, strengthening their motivation towards learning and enhancing their self-esteem;

(ii) training on study or social skills so as to enable the pupils to cope with their learning, adjustment or behavioural problems; and (iii) providing individual guidance to help them deal with more complicated adjustment, social or family problems.

Regarding parents, the Education Department has provided subvention to 14 non-government organisations in the 1995/96 school year to run short adaptation courses for adult immigrants. The course contents include the technique to help them cope with the difficulties their children encounter in studies.

The Home Affairs Department has been tasked to monitor and assess the services provided for new arrivals from China to case the process of integration, to identify groups who are specially at risk, and to recommend the most suitable approach for responding to the practical problems as they emerge.

End