TNAG-0658-FCO40-807-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1977 — Page 48

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Our Ref: (20) in SS 51/2041/74

Mr Lam Wah-hoy

President,

Government School Non-graduate Teachers 'Union,

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

17th November 1976.

Dear Sir,

The Chief Secretary has authorized me to reply to your letters of 19th October and 11 November on the subject of the proposed conversion of Government primary schools for secondary use.

The schools earmarked for conversion were chosen specifically be- cause they were operating far below their full capacity. The Director of Education was also satisfied that no primary pupil would have his or her education disrupted unduly by having to move immediately to another school. I would point out that it is estimated that in none of these schools will the projected enrolment of pupils for September 1977 exceed one-third of the maximum possible enrolment. It is therefore likely that in any event those schools would have been closed in the car future.

Primary schools closed in the past have been reconverted for other purposes. Accordingly, Government has taken this opportunity to use the 18 primary schools, planned for closure, for the provision of additional secondary school places; this objective, I note, has the full support of your Union. The intention to operate 8 of the converted secondary schools within the aided sector is in accordance with Government's policy, which was first expressed in the 1965 White Paper on Education, that expansion should be through the aided sector where possible. These schools constitute new provision and would not have formed part of the Government sector anyway. In the circumstances, 7 of the converted secondary schools will be managed within the Government sector, because some are to be linked with existing Government secondary schools, some are within Police compounds, and in respect of others there are commitments to the original donors. On this account there will be some increase in the Government sector that would not otherwise have taken place.

You have expressed concern at the career prospects of the members of your Union, but, for the reasons I have given above, this is not attri- butable to the decision to convert this surplus provision as part of the secondary expansion programme.

I

As you already know, the appropriate avenue for discussion of Government's proposals for converting these surplus primary schools, and of the wider question of career prospects for your members, is through the Departmental Consultative Council of the Education Department. understand that there has already been discussion in the Consultative Council about the issues arising from the proposed conversions and that the matter will be taken again formally on 22 November.

Yours faithfully,

Signed (N.C.L. Shipman)

for Secretary for Social Services