TNAG-0473-FCO40-538-Hong-Kong-government-policy-on-education-1974 — Page 84

September 1974

September 1976

September 1979

Public Sector Bought places

Forms Forms I—III IV-V

95,587 46,958 64,320 3,000

Forms Forms I-III IV—V

136,961 56,182

64,320

Forms Forms I—III

204,946 66,913

IV-V

77,454 19,007

Total

159,907 49,958

201,281 56,182

282,400 85,920

Percentage of school

population of age group

48%

24%

62%

25%

100% 40%

[Note: These figures include the extra places in Forms I-III from the adoption of the flotation/extended day pattern. Form VI places are excluded though these may be seen in Table III dealing with recurrent costs.]

3.4 It is clear from these figures that the targets given in paragraph 3.1 for junior secondary places cannot be achieved unless there is a rapid expansion in the number of subsidized places available. Ideally, this expansion should take place through a substantial new school building programme but, even if financial and other resources so permitted, it would not be possible to plan and construct sufficient schools in the time available. Thus, temporary measures will have to be adopted to maximize enrolments in existing schools, until the building programme overtakes the school population.

Bisessional operation

3.5 Bisessional operation would have been the most effective means of increasing secondary school enrolments quickly, but this system has not found public support and it is not the Government's intention to introduce it compulsorily in junior secondary forms, even as an interim measure. But, if individual school authorities choose to adopt bises- sionalism in preference to any of the other methods proposed to achieve the same objective, there would be no government objection.

Rotation

3.6 Rotation, which is a six-day working week for the school buildings but a five-day working week for the pupils and teachers, is already practised in some schools. Although there are disadvantages such as the additional burden imposed on school administration and the inconvenience caused to the home lives of pupils and their families, school authorities will be permitted to continue rotation if they wish.

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