TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 5

In order to encourage the establishment of non-profit -making pre-primary institutions, it is intended to reimburse rents for such institutions both within and outside public housing estages provided the accommodation is of an appropriate standard. Rents incurred by non- profit-making child care centres in public housing estates are already being reimbursed, and it is now suggested that kindergarten premises in estates should be let at concessionary rents to suitable educational bodies on the advice of the Director of Education.

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The concluding chapter sets out the estimates of supply and demand for places and staff in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools.

Public Reaction

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Public reaction to the White Paper can be expected to vary considerably. The general public is likely to welcome the positive measures in the White Paper aimed at improving standards in primary education and pre-primary services. It is likely that the Government will be seen by many as being receptive and responsive to public opinion, in having modified and improved upon some of the proposals in the 1980 Green Paper. In addition, the White Paper has introduced a number of new measures which were not included in the Green Paper, such as improved grants to primary schools for equipment, consumables and school visits, all of which are likely to be welcomed.

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However, as primary education and pre-primary services are subjects which attract considerable public interest, there is likely to be criticism from some educationalists, social workers, and interest groups, who may consider that the measures in the White Paper do not go far enough, or in some cases go too far. Their criticism is likely to be directed towards the following areas:

(i)

(ii)

many teachers, while noting that the teacher to class ratio is to be increased to 1. 2: 1, compared with the Green Paper proposal of 1. 15: 1, will argue that 1.3 1 or even more is not unreasonable;

some will argue that the increase in the proportion of discretionary places available to schools for their Primary 1 enrolment as set out in the White Paper represents too great an increase over that proposed in the Green Paper, while others will assert that the proposals do not go far enough;

G.S. 166

CONFIDENTIAL