TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 95

which are scheduled to open in or after September 1979 will be established on a fully-aided basis from the outset.

5.6 As the private non-profit-making schools are brought under the Code of Aid, their class size in senior secondary forms will be reduced to a maximum of 40, as in other aided schools. The shortage of trained graduate teachers will prevent any further lowering of the maximum class size for some years hence, though this will be a goal for the mid-1980's.

5.7 As a result of these measures to simplify the secondary school system, there will be three main types of school:-

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

Government schools;

schools financed under the Code of Aid;

private schools operating without any Government grant (including those schools of acceptable standard where Government will continue to buy junior secondary places).

The 1965 White Paper laid down the policy that the Government should provide schools only where an aided school cannot be provided. Accordingly, very few new Government secondary schools have been built in the developing areas. In view of the replacement of the Secondary School Entrance Examination by new allocation arrangements based on district "nets", and as the popularity of Government secondary schools has not waned, it is desirable that the option of secondary education in a Government school should be available in each main area. Accordingly, the 1965 White Paper policy will be modified so that henceforth there will be, within the approved expansion programme, a wider geographical distribution of Government secondary schools. The planned building programme will be modified to include new Government secondary schools at Tuen Mun, Taipo and Shun Lee Tsuen in East Kowloon, in addition to the Government schools already planned for Yuen Long and Lantau.

5.8 The Green Paper expressed the Government's aim to promote good curriculum design. This was seen as requiring a broader curriculum in Forms IV-V which would provide for as many students as possible, as well as studying languages, science and social studies, to take at least one practical or technical subject, such as Art and Design, Ceramics, Design and Technology, Home Economics, Dressmaking and Commerce. The Government does not intend to depart from the present practice of leaving decisions on the curriculum to the schools themselves, but will encourage schools to offer practical and technical subjects by providing the necessary resources. In order to enable a strong element of practical and technical subjects to be introduced in Forms IV-V, as well as in Forms I-III, practical rooms will be provided wherever there is spare accommodation or scope for extensions. In addition the Government proposes to construct centrally-located workshops, the facilities of which would be shared by schools which cannot provide sufficient practical rooms within their own premises. Two central workshops, one on each side of the harbour, are planned for completion by September 1980. The further development of such workshops will be planned as required. These various measures will serve as alternatives to the intensive use of existing laboratory and workshop facilities which extended-day arrangements were intended to provide.

5.9 It is envisaged that most of the new schools will, within a course of general education, make substantial provision for practical and technical subjects, as discussed in the preceding paragraph. Existing secondary technical schools will continue, with improved facilities and a curriculum that is more closely related to modern developments in technology. Some of the schools being built in those New Territories towns which are underprovided with secondary technical schools may likewise specialise in technical subjects, if this is in accordance with the

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