TNAG-0473-FCO40-538-Hong-Kong-government-policy-on-education-1974 — Page 125

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XCC(74)69

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places in the secondary schools for the full 5-year course leading to a Certificate of Education examination, to consider:

(1) any changes that should be introduced into the present

type of secondary education offered;

(2) the proportion of academic to vocational secondary

education appropriate in the circumstances of Hong Kong;

(3) any changes in the present examination system that

should be introduced;

(4) the time scale in which it would be practical and

desirable to implement the Government's policy, with particular reference to:

(a) the expansion of facilities for the training of

teachers;

(b) the secondary school building programme in the

urban areas, new towns and New Territories; (c) the degree of bi-sessionalism that the Board

considers appropriate in both the short and long term in secondary schools and teacher training colleges;

(5) to what extent in the circumstances of Hong Kong

secondary education should be provided free of charge.

761 €

The Board of Education Green Paper

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The Report of the Board of Education (at Annex A) on the proposed expansion of secondary school education in Hong Kong over the next decade was received on 11th October 1973 and tabled as a Green Paper in the Legislative Council on 31st October 1973. It was pointed out in the foreword to the Green Paper that final conclusions upon the Board's recommendations would not be reached until public reaction had been assessed. Accordingly members of the public were invited to comment upon the Green Paper before the end of January 1974.

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A substantial volume of comment was received from official bodies, educational organisations, and from members of the public, and it became clear from this comment and from surveys of public opinion that full public support was lacking for the recommendations of the Green Paper. The main ground of controversy was that the Green Paper proposed that sufficient places should be provided by 1981 for only 80% of the 12-14 age group and for 36% of the 12-16 age group; although endorsing the principal objective of the provision of

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