TNAG-1418-FCO40-1901-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 39

114)

GRS 1500

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 28O4OCZ JUN 25

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1235 OF 29 JUNE

97

TOP COPY

YOUR TELNO 796: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT

M.1.P.T.

HKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

28 JUN 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

со

NEGISTRY

Action Taken

2. EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN CLOSED CENTRES IS JOINTLY PROVIDED BY THE UNHCR AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR IT TO DO SO, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PROVIDES FOR THE EDUCATION OF REFUGEE CHILDREN BY SUBVENTING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHICH WORK IN THE CLOSED CENTRES AND BY PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR EDUCATION. ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING ALSO IS PROVIDED FOR ADULT MALES AND FEMALES IN THE CLOSED CENTRES.

3. THE UNHCR AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE SEEN DEVELOPING PLANS TO CONSOLIDATE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS AND TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THEM ON A CO-ORDINATED BASIS. IT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE SAME BASIC FORM OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN, ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN EACH OF THE CLOSED CENTRES.

EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN.

4. IN BOWRING CLOSED CENTRE, THE SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND PROVIDES TWO 4-HOUR PERIODS OF EDUCATION ON A BI-SESSIONAL BASIS FOR CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN 6 AND 15 YEARS OF AGE. IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM THE VOLUNTARY AGENCY, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS NEGOTIATING FOR ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION WHICH CAN BE USED TO IMPORVE THE PRESENT PROVISION OF CLASSROOMS.

5. USING BOWRING AS AN EXAMPLE AND WORKING WITH THE EDUCATION CO-ORDINATOR APPOINTED BY THE UNHCR IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING TO STANDARDISE THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN ON A 4-HOUR, BI-SESSIONAL BASIS (THIS COMPARES WITH FOUR AND A HALF HOURSE EDUCATION PROVIDED FOR LOCAL CHILDREN IN HONG KONG). COURSES ARE TO BE PROVIDED ON THE BASIS OF A CORE CURRICULUM DEVISED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE UNHCR. SUBECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, THE UNHCR HAS AGREED TO CONSIDER MEETING THE ADDITIONAL COSTS ARISING FROM THESE IMPROVEMENTS. THIS WILL AUGMENT THE MONTHLY SUBVENTION WHICH THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES RECEIVE FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

CONFIDENTIAL