TNAG-1734-FCO40-2447-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 309

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-11 May 1988

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Department handled 65 disputes of this nature and helped to settle 26. Thirty-three cases were referred to the Labour Tribunal for adjudication and the remaining six were withdrawn.

The Ordinance does not, however, apply to non-manual workers leaving Hong Kong for employment. An unknown number of local people are working outside Hong Kong. Their main protection is by means of a written contract with their employers or their local agents. If they encounter difficulties in obtaining contractual entitlements, the Labour Department assists them in resolving the problems by conciliation after their return to Hong Kong.

The Labour Department is now reviewing the Ordinance, particularly whether its scope should be expanded to cover non-manual workers.

The Employees' Compensation Ordinance does not yet cover work injuries which are sustained outside Hong Kong. We will shortly be proposing amend- ments to the Ordinance to expand its scope to cover work injuries to Hong Kong workers who are employed by Hong Kong employers to work outside Hong Kong.

Extra-curricular activities at secondary schools

5. MRS. TAM asked: Since September 1986 when Government began to provide in phases additional certificated master posts in secondary schools with 15 classes or more to take charge of extra-curricular activities and student counselling, what improvements have been made to promote extra-curricular activities in secondary schools and what impovements are still necessary? Does Government intend to consider strictly defining and monitoring the actual work undertaken by these teachers, and what are the reasons for its decision?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, of the five additional teaching posts provided in stages for each standard size government and aided secondary school since 1982, one is intended to strengthen student counselling in the schools and another to strengthen extra-curricular activities. As far as extra- curricular activities are concerned, the additional post enables the school principal to appoint a team of teachers, headed by a co-ordinator, to take responsibility for the planning and the conduct of extra-curricular activities by all teaching staff throughout the school.

In June 1987, an officer of the Education Department was appointed to serve as secretary to the Hong Kong Extra-Curricular Activities Co-ordinators' Association with a view to providing more professional support to this organisation, whose main objective is to better promote extra-curricular activities in schools. This officer provides assistance to the association in a number of areas, particularly in organising extra-mural courses, and arranging seminars and workshops for the co-ordinators. At the same time, the Education