TNAG-0606-FCO40-754-Monitoring-progress-made-on-planning-papers-on-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 186

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CONFIDENTIAL

9.

(b)

A Working Party has been set up to consider whether any special measures are needed to assist less well-off families with their rent payments where they do not meet normal public assistance criteria;

A

(c) Extension of home ownership to lower income groups. Working Party has been set up to consider a scheme which is designed for the lower/middle income groups. Feasibility plans have been prepared for submission to ExCo.

Education

(a) Primary Education: Up-to-date information on progress in providing more school places is not available. Ten new schools planned for completion between July 1976 and March 1977, will accommodate 21,600 pupils. The completion date is dependent on the progress of building the housing estates;

(b) Secondary Education: There is an expected demand for 313,700 places in Forms 1-3 (12-14 year olds) during the next financial year of which only 63% can be met within the existing programme. There are plans to meet 76% of the demand by 1978/79 and 96% by 1983/84 (see comment in paragraph 13);

(c) Senior Secondary Education: Demand in 1978 for Forms 4-5

15-16 year olds) is expected to be 221,800 but current targets can only meet 18% of this demand. There is provision for 11,220 Form 6 places. On current projections only 34% of expected demand can be met by 1983/84 (see comment in paragraph 13);

(d) Technical Education: Plans for 1977/78 provide for the opening of an Educational Technical Institute making a total of 4 such institutes. This will provide places for 5,396 full-time equivalent day students, an increase of 1,350, and places for 16,080 evening students, an increase of 3,520;

(e) University Education: An additional 150 places will be made available at the University of Hong Kong in 1977/78, making the total 4,450; an additional 500 places at the Chinese University, making a total of 4,400; and an additional 1,250 places at the Polytechnic, making a total of 9,850.

10. Medical and Health

1,300 new beds were provided at the Princess Margaret Hospital in 1976/77. There are no plans for the expansion of hospitals and clinics in 1977/78. Measures to eliminate the need for camp beds in hospitals are being considered.

11. Social Welfare

The public assistance scheme has been extended to include the unemployed able-bodied persons between 18 and 55 years. Young

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CONFIDENTIAL