TNAG-1361-FCO40-1807-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 331

2

*year

places

1987

640

1988

1120

1989

2200

1990

6080

1991

640

10680

The phasing out of the JSEA in 1991 is related to the completion dates of the 35 additional schools which are drawn. up having regard to the normal lead-time required for school construction, training of properly qualified teachers to teach in them and the geographical distribution of students in the urban area and in particular the New Territories where there is hardly any private schools to provide for bought places.

The second point of criticism is that the Government should buy more places from these schools so that their standards can be improved. The Llewellyn Report recommended assistance to private secondary schools but the Commission's report made no reference to this point.

The fact is that the purchase of F 4-5 places from the unsatisfactory private schools will not automatically result in an improvement of the standard of education in these schools. This is evidenced in junior secondary education where the purchase scheme has not led to a general improvement of the standard of F 1-3 education in private unsatisfactory schools with bought places. On the other hand, the satisfactory private schools are at liberty to apply and become subsidised ones. I think they should be encouraged to take up this option.