TNAG-0251-FCO40-287-Education-policy-of-government-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 80

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First and foremost, education. I firmly believe that Government owes it to the young people of Hong Kong to provide them with free primary education. Few modern societies in the world today do not regard this as an integral part of public service provided by the state out of public funds. In 1965 the Working Party on Education Policy recommended that free primary education for everybody must be the ultimate aim. Whereas there might have been good financial reasons then not to implement the policy, in the present state of our social and economic development further delay cannot be justified. The extra cost in the region of $12 million is only about 3% of the amount we are already spending on education and less than of 1% of our entire budgeted expenditure.

Next, social welfare. I suggest that Government takes a more positive and leading role in the training of social workers and in encouraging social welfare agencies to engage properly qualified and experienced social workers. It is now generally recognized that social welfare work is a specialized field and, like nursing and teaching, it requires not only dedication but also professional knowledge and skill. Whilst our two Universities do provide courses in social work, such courses are, of necessity, academic rather than professional in content. I feel, therefore, that post-graduate professional courses should be provided by Government in the same way that it provides training in industrial technology. Furthermore, Government should ensure that professionally qualified social workers should be given proper rec- ognition of their professional status to induce them to enter and remain in the service, both in government and in voluntary bodies.

Third, resettlement. I believe it is Government's policy to resettle squatters only if the land they occupy is needed for development. There are of course minor exceptions such as victims of natural disasters or dangerous buildings. This conservative policy was necessary at the time when Hong Kong was beset by a serious refugee problem and acute housing shortage. Government's efforts in rehousing over a million squatters in the ensuing years have been gigantic and creditable. I personally have no actual figures of the number of squatters who are desiring and are still awaiting resettlement, but their number cannot be so great as to make it impossible for us to cope with it if we are determined to make an all-out effort to do so.

Finally, medical. To maintain the medical service in Hong Kong Government heavily relies on voluntary agencies. Excluding private hospitals, voluntary agencies provide a total of 7,000 beds compared with Government's 5,000. I am using round figures. To maintain the 7,000 beds run by voluntary agencies Government spends by way of subvention $64 million annually. To maintain its own 5,000 beds Government spends annually $130 million. In other words, if Govern-