TNAG-1139-FCO40-1419-Quarterly-progress-reports-on-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 235

CONFIDENTIAL

Provision of Primary School Places

(1 February 1982 to 30 April 1982)

FCO

Table A

Tabular Progress Report

School year starting in September 1981/82

1982/83

1983/84

1984/85

1985/86

1986/87

1987/88

1. Estimated population in the

6-11 age group (Note 1)

509,000

508,100

506,700

507,400

508,400

511,600

519,300

2. Total provision of places in operating classrooms only

(Note 3)

(a)

Government

36,630

39.555

41,670

42,885

42,840

42,840

42,885

(b)

Aided

541,935

543,825

547,470

554,175

565,065

576,090

590,715

Total

(% of age group)

578,565 (114%)

583,380

(115%)

589,140 (116%)

597,060

607.905

618,930

633,600

(118%)

(120)

(121)

(122%)

Notes: (1) Based on the 1979 population projection which assumes that the level of legal and illegal immigrants from

China will taper off in 1981.

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

(3) 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