CYPHER/CAT'A'
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO.166
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
23 MARCH 1970
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 155: PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION BY MR. JOHN RANKIN
ON 6TH APRIL.
∞
I SUGGEST THAT YOU MIGHT REPLY TO THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION
ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-
"WE ARE IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ABOUT
THIS ISSUE. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED AIM IS THE
PROVISION OF FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR ALL. TO THIS END THE
GOVERNMENT IS RAPIDLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE
IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBSIDIZED PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND THE TOTAL
PLACES AVAILABLE NOW REACH THE POINT WHERE THEY EXCEED THE
ESTIMATED POPULATION IN THE AGE GROUP 6 11 YEARS DURING THE
CURRENT CALENDAR YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, STANDARD FEES IN
GOVERNMENT AND SUBSIDIZES PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED, AND ARE NOW ONLY THE EQUIVALENT OF
TWENTY-SEVEN SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE A YEAR FOR URBAN SCHOOLS
AND THIRTEEN SHILLINGS AND NINEPENCE A YEAR FOR RURAL SCHOOLS.
EVEN THESE NOMINAL FEES ARE REMITTED IN CASES OF NEED.'
བུ། ། ན་
2. THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION IS ANSWERED IN MY TELEGRAM
NO. 126 DEALING WITH A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION BY BARONESS
SUMMERSKILL, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AGED 6 11 YEARS NOT
ATTENDING SCHOOL AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT OF TIME IS PROBABLY UNDER
60,000, BUT GREATER PRECISION IS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL THE RESULT OF
NEXT YEAR'S CENSUS IS AVAILABLE.
SIR D. TRENCH
FILES
H.K.D.
MR. WILFORD
L.271.
Pl.RA.
15/4/70.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
LAST
7
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247
970
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