TNAG-0734-FCO40-938-Reports-of-Standing-Committee-on-the-Planning-Progress-of-Ho-1978 — Page 58

CONFIDENTIAL

Department to initiate prosecutions in all cases. The three 1977 campaigns which have been the subject of court actions in 1977 are summarised statistically at Appendix 1. The offenders uncovered by the 24th campaign (14-19 December) are currently the subject of court proceedings. These thrice-yearly campaigns are clearly necessary whatever developments may take place in compulsory junior secondary education (para.12 below) and should be continued.

11.

Employers have pointed to their difficulty in verifying the exact age of young job applicants. These difficulties should soon be eliminated. The Registration of Persons Regulations have provided with effect from 1 November 1973, facilities for distinguishing between children (under 14 years of age) and young persons and require:-

a) first registration to take place at the age of 11 years

(with the issue of an identity card bearing a photograph, full personal names in English and Chinese, and the date of birth);

b)

second registration to take place at the age of 18 years (with the issue of a new card bearing details as under (a) plus an up-to-date photograph).

When the issue of all cards has been completed employers should no longer be able to claim they have unwittingly employed children under the age of 14, and inspectors of the Women and Young Persons Unit should be able to verify the ages of those in industrial employment. The registration of those in the age groups 11-17 should be virtually complete by 31 Cctober this year.

12. A widely welcomed development in the educational system of Hong Kong will also make possible the extension of the existing prohibition on the employment of 13 and 14 year old children in industrial undertakings to non-industrial establishments. As from September 1978 there will be a secondary school place for every primary school leaver and the Hong Kong Government intends to legislate to make junior secondary education compulsory up to a child's 15th birthday or until the Form III course has been completed, if that is earlier. Legislation will also be introduced to abolish fees for junior secondary education in the public sector as from the beginning in September of the 1978/79 school year. The powers of the Director of Education to serve a school attendance order will be extended to 12 and 13 year old children as from September 1979 and to 14 year olds from September 1980- that is, one year after places for all children in each age group become available. An identical time-table will be adopted for phasing out the employment of children in non-industrial employment but the apparent intention is to provide exemptions in the new legislation to enable children aged 12 and above to be engaged in certain categories of permissible light work provided it does not interfere with their schooling.

24.

CONFIDENTIAL

/Care will