TNAG-1726-FCO40-2439-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 339

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-3 February 1988

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MR. MARTIN LEE: Sir, did the Government realise at all material time formulation of the options contained in the Green Paper might influence the framing of the questionnaire by AGB McNair?

CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, the remit to the company was very clear. It was simply to conduct two public opinion surveys between July and September 1987 on the issues and the options set out in the Green Paper. It was up to the company concerned to frame their questions on the basis of that very broad remit and I repeat, Sir, that it is not for me to comment on their professional judgment.

Written answers to questions

Whole-day schooling for primary students

9. MR. HUI asked: Will Government inform this Council of the number of vacant classrooms in government and aided primary schools; how many of these vacant classrooms are in bisessional (am and pm) and unisessional (whole day) schools; and will consideration be given to gradually resuming whole-day teaching for all primary students in the Territory by utilising these vacant classrooms?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, the number of vacant classrooms in government and aided primary schools in the current school year in terms of bisessional and whole-day schools is shown in the following table:

Total classrooms

In bisessional schools*

15 770

In whole-day schools

1 260 431

Total

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Vacant classrooms

3 164

*Note: Each physical classroom has been counted twice in this case.

17 030

3 595

It is already the Government's policy to encourage primary schools to convert to whole-day operation wherever feasible. Thirty-eight schools have so converted during the past three years.

Coversion to whole-day operation is physically possible whenever a school building is vacant for half the day, or when the combined enrolment of both bisessional schools does not exceed the permitted capacity of the school building. At present there are 47 schools which could extend operation into the other half of the day, and the Director of Education is making efforts to persuade the school authorities to convert to whole-day operation. The combination of two school sessions sharing the same building presents rather more difficulties, but efforts are likewise being made to encourage whole-day operation.