TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 300

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still permissible for a child to enrol up to the age of 8 years and remain

to complete his course until the age of 14. Such late enrolment was formerly

common but is now rare; however, all primary pupils are permitted to repeat

one year if necessary and as a result, a considerable number of children

in the 12-14 age group are still in primary schools. Of the total primary

enrolment (540,260) on 30 September 1980, 472,513 (87.5 per cent) were in

government and aided schools, the balance of 67,747 (12.5 per cent) being

in private schools. 2.2 per cent of the total primary enrolment were under

6 years, 89.5 per cent were 6-11 years and 8.3 per cent were over 11 years.

The number of pupils over 11 years is declining (8.3 per cent of total

enrolment in September 1980; 9.4 per cent in 1979; 10.8 per cent in 1978;

13.2 per cent in 1977). Calculated against approved policy standards

there is at present a surplus of places in primary schools over and above

actual enrolments. In September 1980 there were 540,045 operating places

i.e.

in aided primary schools against an enrolment of 437,315

overprovision by 23.5 per cent in this sector. This is due mainly to two

factors: a decline in the number of children in the relevant age group

from 605,100 in 1973 to 499,600 in 1980, and a redistribution of population

from the older urban areas to the new developing areas, necessitating the

construction of new schools in line with the policy that no child should

have to travel more than 0.4 km from home to attend primary school.

new primary schools were opened in public housing estates in 1980-81 and

the Department intends to provide 30,240 new places in developing areas

in 1981-82. This will be offset by a reduction in capacity in accordance

with the aim of closing classes in areas of over-provision.

5.16

Four

The 1981-82 Estimates note that the 1980 Green Paper on Primary

Education and Pre-primary services recommends a reduction in class sizes in

those schools adopting the 'learning by doing' approach, an enhancement of

staff ratios and measures to improve the quality of teaching and the

provision of resource materials in the field of primary education.

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