TNAG-0329-FCO40-365-Briefs-for-UK-officials--visits-to-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 70

Brief No

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG

FEBRUARY 1972

SCHOOL FEES

DEFENSIVE

1.

There are 8 English schools in the Colony, 6 primary and 2 secondary. These schools are attended mostly by expatriate children but they also attract a considerable number of English- speaking Chinese children.

2. In May 1971, the Hong Kong Government announced that from the beginning of the 1971/72 school year the annual fees would be increased from HK$480 to HK$1,500 at these primary schools and from HK$1,500 to HK$3,000 at the secondary schools. This increase was necessary because the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council wished to implement the policy adopted in principle by the Government in 1965 which provided that the level

of subsidy from public funds should be the same for all schools (English or Chinese) of the same educational standard. Owing

largely to the higher salaries drawn by expatriate teachers the

cost of running the English schools is about 3 times the cost of running the equivalent Chinese schools.

3. By and large the local Chinese community welcomed the policy of parity of subsidy. The expatriate community on the other hand strongly opposed the Government's proposal to increase the fees. The matter was hotly debated in the local press and a

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