TNAG-1139-FCO40-1419-Quarterly-progress-reports-on-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 14

CONFIDENTIAL

Provision of Primary School Places

(1 May 1982 to 31 July 1982)

Table A

FCO Tabular Progress Report

School Years Starting in September

1981/82

1982/83

1983/84

1984/85

1985/86

1986/87

Estimated population in the 6-11 age group (Note 1)

501 900

501 100

503 000

504 500

507 600

511 500

2. Total provision of places in operating classrooms only

(Note 3)

(a) Government

(b) Aided

Total

(% of Age Group)

36 630

39 825

41 165

541 935

548 190

539 745

41 370

536 620

40 440

534 775

39 420

524 215

578 565 (115%)

588 015 (117%)

580 910 (115%)

577 990 (115%)

575 215 (113)

563 635 (110%)

Notes:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Based on the 1979 population projection which assumes that the level of legal and illegal immigrants from China will taper off in 1981.

Provision is based on the Primary School Building Programme (April 1982).

The policy is to provide primary education for every child in the primary school age group (source: 1965 White Paper on Education Policy) and that no child needs to travel more than 0.4 km to school (reference: Hong Kong Outline Plan, Chapter 3). The provision of primary school places on a local-need basis therefore gives rise to a territory-wide overprovision. Nevertheless, at district level, there can be insufficient places e.g. Tuen Mun, and action is in hand to provide additional places to fulfil the policy objective.

CONFIDENTIAL