Background information
In October 1954 Government embarked on a programme of primary school development to meet needs of vastly increased and increasing population.
By 1963 this aim had been achieved though nearly half the children were in private schools.
In this period, although secondary schooling expanded it was largely piecemeal through rebuilding of existing schools, or through charitable projects.
As primary schooling became usual the age of entry fell - opening a gap between 12 (the nominal age of completion of a 6-year course) and the age of employment legally 14, but in practice more like 15 or 16.
In 1961 Government proposed a new policy designed to fill this gap. This involved beginning the primary course at 7, and adding "Special" classes to the end of the primary schools to extend the total course to 7 years and make 14 the normal leaving age.
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This policy was introduced without much opportunity for discussion and against But with thes
the advice of many educators. It proved to be most unpopular, and after a year of chaos when it was implemented, it had to be abandoned the reversion to age 6 admission causing a further three years of chaos.
The unpopularity of the revised pattern of education was the occasion for the establishment of the Marsh-Sampson Education Commission which reported in October 1963. The Commission was hamstrung by its terms of reference which, in effect, asked how to get more education without spending more money.
Avery tendentions way of putting it,
Government appointed a Working Party to study the Marsh-Sampson proposals. This met throughout 1964 and its report was incorporated in a White Paper on Educational Policy in 1965. Officially this now sets out Government Policy.
Some of the recommendations in the Marsh-Sampson report, endorsed in White Paper, were adopted with unseemly haste, particularly those which reduced costs, or benefitted Government officials.
Reduction in staff-ratio
advice of others. This is an example the divided vieno Relixcatio,
No or my puthilling The real readon for this Comunion was the strypersing in creases in the car of cancation & an endeavour to an h it could with do! nim exminically.
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Increased fees in secondary schools (which I huimalt a macates lower dom) Reorganisation involving additional senior posts in the Department (the ingang aton
of which
The ummplemented. undoubtedly teresa tedaters, renooks and education generally attempts by parts are largely
Most of the recommendations remain un-implemented even though they would
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non-Government people to get things moving have been totally frustrated.
Two quotations from Marsh-Sampson in 1963 remain apt
This is "One might almost say that one of the biggest educational problems in
Pourcations
Hong Kong is the liberalizing of education and how to make teacher and student alike realise that there is so much more to education in its truest sense than absorbing information for the main purpose of reproducing it in the examination room."
"The undoubted success of the seven year programme for primary education
has made more pressing the need for a planned programme in the secondary sector."
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be sound.
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