TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 72

Chapter 8

Rural Schooling

Rural Kindergartens

8.1

In September 1979 there were 153 kindergartens operating in the rural and more remote areas of the New Territories, including the out-lying islands. Most students live within a short walking distance of the premises, whilst others make use of public transport or of transport facilities provided by the kindergarten. Only in a relatively few cases are difficulties encountered.

8.2

Most of the buildings used are not specifically designed as kindergartens ancestral halls, rural community halls and village houses being most commonly utilised. The kindergartens are usually small, having one or at the most two classes. Outdoor play areas are usually available, with adjacent drying grounds, threshing floors or fields being used. However, play equipment and teaching aids are often not provided.

8.3

Some kindergartens are whole-day and others half-day schools. Many of these schools find it difficult to enrol enough children of the same age into one class. The mobility of pupils is high, with children migrating with their families overseas and other children being sent back to Hong Kong by parents working abroad. The teachers in these kindergartens are mostly unqualified, in many cases being young girls who live nearby, and their mobility is also high. Teaching methods are mostly formal and traditional with a heavy emphasis on reading and writing.

Rural Primary Schools

8.4

In the school year commencing September 1979 there were 347 aided primary schools in the New Territories of which 234 were sponsored or managed by villagers or local groups. Schools in the new towns and the new housing estates are usually built with 24 classrooms and are in all respects similar to their urban counterparts, but the smaller schools in the remoter areas in the New Territories are unique in many respects and have problems which are different from urban schools. In this chapter the problems of all schools in the New Territories with less than one complete stream, that is less than six classes, and all schools which are so remote that there are problems of access by teachers, are the main consideration. The number of such schools in the New Territories exceeds 100, of which 90% have less than six classes and the remainder have access problems.

8.5

The smaller the school, the more acute the staffing situation becomes. In the very small rural school with one operating class, the teacher is often the only person available and he has to do the job of a headmaster, teacher, clerk and janitor. Even the larger remote schools have staffing problems, consequently staff changes are frequent. Many teachers resign, mainly because of the long distances they have to travel, as soon as they can find teaching posts in urban schools.

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