TNAG-0658-FCO40-807-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1977 — Page 119

C.S. 166

CONFIDENTIAL # 機密

XCC(77)46

Copy No Page 5 of 13

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of the 15 year old population as laid down in the 1974 White Paper, which will provide a further 18, 300 such subsidised Form IV places (with subsequent progression to Form V) to the present total of 19, 200; the opening of two more technical institutes, providing places on a full or part-time basis for a further 12, 700 students; the creation of places on a full or part-time basis for a further 10,000 students at the Polytechnic and of a further 1, 830 full-time places at the two universities. In view of these two factors it is appropriate to reflect whether assump- tions, derived from experience of the past, about the under-provision of places are still valid when planning for the 1980's.

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The Working Party has considered in Chapter I (paragraphs 1. 16-1.20) whether Government should seek to provide education for all students beyond the Form III level. It recommends against this, noting that the provision of nine years of education for all is equal to or greater than what is available in every Asian country with the exception of Singapore and is equal to many western countries that have sophisticated social services. A further important factor in this regard is that Hong Kong children do not commence their primary education until the age of 6, and because of late entry and repetition substantial numbers do not complete three years of secondary education until they are aged 16 or 17. The Working Party believes that, at least for as long as these factors remain, completion of Form III should constitute the normal stage for leaving school.

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Having established that places beyond the Form III level should be provided for only a proportion of the total population in the age range, the Working Party proceeds to consider what the size of this proportion should be. It considers progression at two main levels: firstly in respect of courses immediately beyond the Form III level, in senior secondary forms and on craft level courses in technical institutes, and secondly in respect of progression beyond the Form VI level, to sixth forms and/or to tertiary education. It assesses the requirement for places in terms of demonstrated public demand, in terms of the academic standards that these courses require and the proportion of the population with the capability of meeting these standards, and in terms of the manpower demand for persons of a good general education or with special qualifications.

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Regarding demonstrated demand, it is noted that in recent years about 50-53% of Primary VI leavers have proceeded to Form IV in the public or the private sector and the assumption is made that most of those students in the private sector would choose a public sector place if one was made available for them. What is less certain, however,

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