7.4
At present there are only 13,682 registered child care centre places for children aged 2-5 of which 9,572 are subvented day care places. A detailed breakdown of the places available is given in Appendix 3A. Paragraph 3.13 gives the effective demand for child care centre places (and incidentally kindergarten places) between 1981 and 1990. In meeting the demand for child care centre places, it is felt that priority should be given to meeting as quickly as possible the full demand for those fee assisted places where there is a social need. As regards unassisted places, there is a need to encourage non-profit-making organisations to provide a greater number of places for families who do not qualify for financial assistance and a realistic planning target would be to achieve full provision of places within 10 years as given in Appendix 7A.
Kindergartens
7.5
As all kindergartens are private it is not possible to draw up plans for expansion. However, it is the practice of the Housing Authority to provide kindergarten premises in public housing estates at the rate of one classroom for every 2,700 residents and these facilities have since 1972 been subject to public tender. On this basis it is estimated that by 1984/85 accommodation for 54 new kindergartens providing an additional 19,400 places will be made available through the public housing programme.
7.6
As at September 1979 there were 765 operating kindergartens providing 182,393 places. If the recommendations on class size are to be fully effective from September 1985, it is estimated that there will be a theoretical shortfall of about 22,000 kindergarten places. However, since private operators have in the past always met the full extent of the demand for kindergarten places, it is believed that this shortfall will be met.
Primary schools
Primary school buildings
7.7
Government schools and most subsidized schools in the urban areas are accommodated in proper school buildings. However, there are still subsi- dized schools located on roof-tops, the top floor or the ground floor of the oldest type of resettlement block and in tenement buildings. Such unsatisfac- tory premises will gradually be phased out, although some schools may be relocated under the redevelopment programmes of old resettlement estates. Private schools in tenement flats still exist but they are comparatively small in number and no child need attend them.
7.8
With the development of new towns and new housing estates in recent years, schools are included in the estate plans like other facilities. Existing school buildings are of a standard type with 24 classrooms in each but with some internal variations. These schools are quite adequate but by no means ideal, and as a result, the standard plans have recently been revised.
7.9
It is expected that from early 1981, all new primary schools can be completed in accordance with this design. The main areas of improvement are the provision of:
(a) a covered playground, with a games store, changing
rooms and a tuck-shop attached;
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