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(c)

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The Education Department will continue to monitor the situation closely. If there is evidence that a school with vacant places has persistently refused to admit immigrant children from China, the Director of Education will not hesitate to direct admission of these children into the school, or to impose other sanctions.

The Education Department has been monitoring the enrolment of children newly arrived from China since 1979. Demographic information such as age, sex, residence, distribution over districts, academic ability and level entered has formed the basis of reliable projections on where they usually live and what their general education needs are. On the basis, strategies on the best use of available resources to meet demand have been developed. Our assessment at this stage is that apart from the five primary schools we have committed to build by 1997-98, we need in addition 14 secondary and five primary schools respectively by 2001-02.

We will continue to keep the provision of school places and our educational services under regular review to ensure that sufficient places are provided to meet demand and that our support programmes meet the needs of these children.

Measures adopted to protect Chinese white dolphins

Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the recent press reports about the deaths of Chinese white dolphins, will the Administration inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

of the number of white dolphin carcasses found in the past six months and whether it knows of the causes of death of the white dolphins;

whether any studies have been conducted to ascertain if the dolphins' deaths is related to the polluted waters and the infrastructural projects being carried out in the proximity of the dolphins' habitat; and