TNAG-0645-FCO40-793-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 25

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TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 946 OF 20 SEPTEMBER 1977

FOR LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS FROM GOVERNOR

EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE.

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1. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECIDED THAT TO MAKE JUNIOR SECONDARY-

EDUCATION COMPULSORY AND ALSO TO PROHIBIT EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN

OF JUNIOR SECONDARY AGE WOULD CAUSE CONTROVERSY UNLESS THE EDUCATION

WERE FREE. THEY CONSIDERED THIS A POPULAR LOCAL OBJECTIVE IN

ITSELF. IT WAS THEREFORE SO DECIDED. THE MEASURES TO BE PHASED

AS PREVIOUSLY ENVISAGED.

2. THE DECISION TO PROVIDE SCHOOLING FREE RESULTED FROM NEW FACTORS

THAT CHANGED MY MIND SUBSEQUENT TO MY LETTER TO YOU OF 13 JULY.

SINCE THE NEW PLANS COINCIDE ENTIRELY WITH YOUR OWN VIEWS, I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

3. THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PHASING IN OF THE MANY NEW

SOCIAL WELFARE PROPOSALS WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AGAINST THE

BACKGROUND OF THIS NEW CHARGE WHICH WILL AMOUNT TO ABOUT

DOLLARS EIGHTYFIVE MILLION A YEAR.

4. I DOUBT IF IT WILL HAVE MUCH SIGNIFICANCE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER

MUCH LARGER FACTORS. THE COUNCIL TOOK THE VIEW THAT THE PACKAGE

OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROPOSALS SHOULD STAND AND THAT AT THE WORST

PHASING OF ONE OR TWO ITEMS COULD BE ADJUSTED. THEY WERE

NOWEVER CLEAR THAT IN SO FAR AS PRIORITIES ARISE, FREE SECONDARY

EDUCATION SHOULD COME FIRST.

5. SO FAR AS MY SPEECH IS CONCERNED THE EFFECT WILL BE TO GIVE

IT MORE CONTENT. TO MAKE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION FREE AS WELL

AS UNIVERSAL WILL REMOVE MUCH OF THE CONTROVERSY THAT WILL SURROUND

IT BEING MADE COMPULSORY AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN OF

SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE BEING PROHIBITED, THE PROPOSAL WILL THEREFORE

NOW HAVE STRONG APPEAL. AT THE SAME TIME THE PACKAGE OF SOCIAL

WELFARE PROPOSALS WILL STAND, AND WILL BE PRESENTED AS ENVISAGED,

BUT PERHAPS WITH A WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE PHASING OF ONE OR

TWO OF THE MANY ITEMS.

MACKE HOSA

FILES

AROGD (5)

PS/LORD GORON WY ROB FRIS

CONFIDENTAL