TNAG-0873-FCO40-1083-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 132

CONFIDENTIAL

For discussion

on 20th September 1977

ANNIA TO XUC(79) 66 XCC(77)72

Copy No ... Page 1

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND PROHIBITION ON EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN UNDER 15

of 80

A

This memorandum puts forward proposals to ensure that children under 15 avail themselves wherever possible of the subsidised junior secondary places that will be provided.

Expansion of Secondary Education

2

In recent years the Government has increased substantially the resources committed to education in order to expand the number of subsidised secondary school places and to improve the quality of the education received, according to the policy laid down in the 1974 White Paper, "Secondary education in Hong Kong over the next decade". In his Budget speech on 25th February 1976, the Financial Secretary outlined a series of measures that would create sufficient Form I places for all Primary 6 leavers in 1978, with progression in subsequent years up to at least Form III. Between the time when this commitment was announced and its realisation in September 1978, some additional 51, 480 places in Forms I-III will have been created and some 54 new schools, including conversions from primary schools, will have been built. Financial approval has already been given for the construction of a further 30 new secondary schools for completion by 1981, and the Director of Education is preparing proposals to expand this programme to include an additional 18 aided schools. This building programme together with some buying of Form IV-V places in private non profit-making schools will permit Government to achieve its current secondary school enrolment targets.

3

Subject to acceptance of the Director of Education's proposals, and to the provision of the necessary finance, the structure of places in Forms I-III will be as in Annex A. The estimate of demand excludes students completing their primary education in left-wing schools, in junior English and other schools catering primarily for the expatriate community, and in special schools, as such students have separate arrangements for secondary or further education.

C.S. 166

Enforcement of school attendance

4

Most overseas countries have adopted some element of com- pulsion over school attendance for children, and such arrangements have usually been extended to cover children under fifteen where sufficient secondary school places are available. In Hong Kong measures to compel

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