TNAG-0658-FCO40-807-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1977 — Page 41

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1.THE GOVERNMENT IS LIABLE TO FURNISH SOUND EDUCATION AND SHOULD

NOT EVADE ITS DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY OF RUNNING GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

Education in Hong Kong - Direct Responsibility to the Government

"To serve and to construct" is the role of the Government to whom we regard as civil servants. Its role contains many aspects in parti- cular of Social Welfare and major opcrations, namely, Housing,Medical

To ensure & Health, Education, Construction and Waterworks, etc. smooth operations, tax is being collected from citizens of Hong Kong. Whether the contributions from citizens are under proper usage is the main concern of taxpayers. The running of Education in Hong Kong cer- tainly reveals the following discrepancies:

(a) The Goverment overrides its freewheel in running Government schools. It is irrational and objectionable to sec that

Government schools, which have been run by the Education Departrient all these years, to be turned over to the Aided Sectors. (b) The pretext of "lct citizens of Hong Kong participate ir running

schools" is totally misleading and inexcusable; instcad, it is the sole responsibility of the Government to carry out its full rango in Education, in its best possibility. To evade the mon- tioned duties will, of course, contradict to the principle of Government.

(c) There are only 70 in number of Government. Primary Schools out of 1,000. The aforementioned figure reveals an extremely poor pro- portion. Moreover, the Government is still trading the remainings and letting off its duties in this connection. This retreating movement is again contradicted to its policy as the Government claimed that "there will be a full scale development in secondary schools by Government from now on". In contrast, its primary schools are outnumbered as the Government is at present, anxiously t to hand over them to the Aided Sectors. We are in doubt of the sincerity of the Government's attitude in enforcing sound education. As a result, it is not possible to encourage the public's effort in running schools as long as the Government evade its responsi- bility.

2. THE TRADING OF THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TO THE

AIDED SECTORS

NEZAPOMAIN LINKS EL-ZILEIVICAL METHODOLIJA/

1965 Education White Paper

"The expansion and development of primary and secondary schools should be carried out mostly, if possiblc, by aided sectors" claimed 12 years' age in the 1965 Education White Paper, in rcspcct to the Ten Years' Primary School Expansion scheric. It is noticeable that what is defined 12 years ago would not be applicable nowadays. We quote other relative contents from the sãñe documents to verify our statements:

/ (a).......