TNAG-0251-FCO40-287-Education-policy-of-government-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 13

249

Lit/"

3310

Sir LAW My Laiss

Mr. Wilford

Sir L. Monson

и Кинси

Miss Deas

ایک نما

её бир

We must keep

them.

высский

Vela

Primary Education in Hong Kong

AR

38

1th

EX.21%

At the Heads of Departments meeting yesterday Mr.Royle enquired about this matter and I undertook to send forward an extract on the subject from the Governor's speech to the

Legislative Council on 1 October. This is attached.

In

2. During the subsequent debate Mrs. Ellen Li spoke about "A crash programme for universal post-primary education". the course of a long speech she said that "when we look at these facets together in their right perspective, we can come to but one conclusion, that is children between 6 and 14

should all be in school and young people above 14 should all

be gainfully employed, be it in education or in work, leaving only a very few bad eggs to foul up our society." Mr. P.C.Woo

said that he found it very difficult to be persuaded that "the parents of the poorer section of our population are

reludant to send their children to school if given free primary and secondary education." Mr. Wilson T. S. Wang said - "On

primary education, I warmly support the policy as outlined by

Your Excellency to clear all obstacles which may bar any

parents from sending their children to primary school, and at

the same time to introduce a bill whereby action can be taken

against irresponsible parents. Very few parents will then have any valid reason for not sending their children to school when fees are waived and the need to make their children work for the augmentation of the family's income or for the care of its younger members, when these are eliminated by the provision of public assistance."

3. In reply, Mr. Canning, the Director of Education, said that he very much hoped "that a formal proposal to do away with the existing fee in the generality of government and aided primary schools will be placed before Members very soon". He also welcomed the arrangements proposed by the Governor for

/dealing