TNAG-0473-FCO40-538-Hong-Kong-government-policy-on-education-1974 — Page 201

2.1

Chapter 2

The Future Secondary Education System

Nine years of general education for all

In 1965, when the previous White Paper on

Educational Policy was published, universal primary

education was the immediate aim. Now that this has been

achieved, the time has come for the next major step forward,

in the field of education, the development of secondary

education.

2.2

The Government's main objective is to make

available, by 1979, subsidised education for every child

for nine years, i.e. six years in a primary school

followed by three years in a secondary school. All children

should follow a common course of general education throughout

these nine years. With this ambitious target, there will be

combined a significant expansion of places for those

wishing to continue their education thereafter.

2.3

Junior secondary forms

The education at present provided in secondary

schools tends to be dominated by preparation for the

Hong Kong Certificate of Education and for the entrance

examinations of the two Universities.

Because many

pupils will be unable to obtain a place in a tertiary

educational institution, it is desirable that the three

years of secondary education, which will be provided for

every child, should lead to a new public examination.

This will both provide evidence that a pupil has

satisfactorily completed his education to Form III

standard and will act as a form of selection for further

/subsidised