TNAG-0251-FCO40-287-Education-policy-of-government-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 107

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51

77/0

19

Wodnosday, March 25, 1970

AKK 91

52 SCHOOLS IN THE PIPELINE FOR 42,500

PUPILS

20.49 Por Cont Of Total Expenditure Goos To Education

D

Mr. J. Canning, Director of Education, said today tho Govornmont

had 55 now govornmont and aided secondary school projects in the pipeline

providing accommodation for 42,500 pupils at a capital cost alono of ovor

$165 million.

Tho extra rocurront cost at salary mid-points when thoso schools

woro in full operation would bo $26 million.

Giving those figuros in the Legislative Council at the rosunod dobato

on the Appropriation Bill 1970, ho omphasis od thoso schools formod part of

existing policios, and did not take now policies into account.

Ho was replying to criticism that the Government was not sponding

onough on education, and to comments giving the impression that the bill

for education was rising vory slowly, if at all.

"This is far from tho caso," ho said.

!

yoar 1952/53, the yoar

"The actual expondituro on education for the yoar

I arrivod horo, was $22.4 million, or 7.2 por cont of the Colony's total

oxpondituro.

"Tho ostimato

aro now considering anvisago a total oxpondi turo

in oxcoss of $498 million, or 20.49 por cont of the Colony' total expondituro

for next year."

In addition, Mr. Canning said tho largost single ingrcaso in any field

this year had boon in education, whore tho increase over the rovised ostimato

for the curront yoar yas $69 million.

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