TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 126

4.9

This chapter has not so far mentioned the independent schools. This term is used to cover schools that do not have non profit-making status. At present the majority of the secondary school population in Hong Kong are in private independent schools. They enable more than 25,000 students each year to proceed to senior secondary education. The Government buys junior secondary (Form I-III) places in a selected number of these schools, because there are insufficient places in Government, aided and private non profit-making schools to meet its commitments. The buying of junior secondary places in independent schools is seen as a means of fee assistance to the parent, rather than as a subsidy to the school. Because the independent schools do not in law have non profit-making status, they are not suitable to receive a direct Government subsidy, such as the per caput grant which is provided to private non profit-making schools. The 1974 White Paper, Secondary Education in Hong Kong over the Next Decade, envisaged that the buying of places in Forms I-III would be reduced after 1979 through a continuation of the school building programme. The 48 new schools that have been proposed for completion between 1979 and 1981 (see paragraph 4.3) will enable the Government to terminate the buying of places in those independent schools that do not have satisfactory premises and operating standards. These 48 new schools will also enable the Government to meet its commitments for the expansion of senior secondary education through Government, aided and other non profit-making schools.

4.10

If the Government were to meet its targets through the independent schools, the school building programme would have to be cut back in order to avoid overprovision in relation to demand when the numbers in the age range fall during the 1980's. Furthermore, students from the New Towns would have to travel into the existing urban areas, where most independent schools are situated. An arrangement that uses the independent schools cannot be as satisfactory as providing within the main centres of population new purpose-built schools to be run by non profit-making bodies.

4.11

This does not mean that there will be no place for independent schools in the secondary education system. Even when sufficient publicly-provided places are available, some of the better private independent schools which are able to attract support from the community may be able to continue in being without Government assistance, thus increasing the range of choice available. In circumstances

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