XN000022-1997-04-18 — Page 22

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Provision of school places planned

In response to media enquiries on provision of school places for children newly arriving from China, the Director of Education, Mrs Helen C P Lai YU, said today (Friday):

"Government has made provision to meet the demand for school places for children arriving from China. It is estimated that about 44,340 children will arrive from China in the next three school years through the present orderly programme. The estimated demand for 38,532 primary places and 5,808 secondary places can be met through vacancies in existing schools and additional school places arising from the operation of new schools.

"To cater for the increased demand, additional schools will be built as follows:

Completion by (school year)

Primary

Secondary

1997-1998

1998-1999

1999-2000

5

V N

2

9

1

"It is also estimated that another seven secondary schools will be required between 2000-01 and 2001-02, and arrangements will be made to include these projects in the School Building Programme.

"Meanwhile, close inter-departmental liaison is in place to monitor the situation and to cope with developments."

End

Govt proposes to increase penalty for breaching safety law

The Government proposes to increase the level of penalty for both employers and employees breaching the safety laws in order to enhance industrial safety standard.

Under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1997 gazetted today (Friday), the maximum fines for employers and employees failing to comply with the general duties provisions in the existing ordinance will be increased from $200,000 to $500,000 and from $10,000 to $25,000 respectively.