TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 10

care centres provide an effective means of achieving and maintaining the desired improvements in standards. These requirements are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are realistic and in accordance with changing social attitudes and the community's aspirations. Since the introduction of the Child Care Centres Ordinance, the standard of operation of all types of child care centres has steadily improved, but the number of places in non-subvented centres has not grown significantly. Furthermore, staff training still needs attention, but generally speaking the priorities are in the area of quantity rather than the quality of provision.

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The

The picture regarding kindergartens is less satisfactory. majority of kindergartens are accommodated in private tenement buildings and about 20% are in public housing estates. Only 13% are housed in proper school buildings and have sufficient space for activities. As the majority of kindergartens are profit-making institutions, it is understandable that they wish to accept as many children as possible. Priority in the use of space goes towards filling the classrooms with pupils, and classroom arrange- ments tend to be rather formal to make the maximum use of space which together

The fact with the large class size make formal teaching almost inevitable. that total kindergarten enrolment (which was 192,517 in September 1979) exceeded the approved number of registered kindergarten places of 182,393 at that time is evidence of this overcrowding.

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Many of the ills of kindergartens relate to their lack of resources and facilities. The Manual of Kindergarten Practice, a pamphlet issued by the Education Department, sets out guidelines on curriculum, physical conditions and resources appropriate to a kindergarten. However, since these recommen- dations have no legal backing they are frequently ignored.

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The way kindergartens are regarded does not encourage development on modern educational lines. Pre-primary education in Hong Kong is not usually seen as a development period having its own crucial importance, but rather as a preparation for entry to a well-known primary school, so that the children can have a headstart for a place in a popular secondary school and ultimately go to university. The value of a kindergarten is often judged by its success in this direction and many kindergartens are themselves competitive and highly selective. In view of the large number of applications to such kindergartens, selection is usually by interview, and to prepare for this children are coached and consequently both parents and children are under pressure from the start.

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Finally, the teaching service itself is less than satisfactory. Qualifications of teachers are low and salaries do not reflect the degree of responsibility needed of those looking after young children. Only a relatively small number of kindergarten teachers have had formal training, and opportu- nities for such training are limited.

Since

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The attitude of the public also affects child care centres. these are not considered to provide formal education, they are not regarded as providing a sufficiently competitive service for entry to primary schools. The result is that the number of children attending such centres falls off dramatically at the age of 4, the children transferring to kindergartens even though the child may be in greater need of care than a kindergarten can provide.

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