1964-1965 — Page 17

STAFF WELFARE

54. The earned leave granted to officers during the year for a total staff of 642 amounted to:

4,833 days vacation leave

6,424 days casual leave

Total sick leave for the year for all kinds of sickness on full and half pay amounted to 1,717 days and a further 178 days no-pay leave was granted. Maternity leave totalling 89 days was also approved.

55. Railway Club. The Railway Club, run purely on subscriptions from railway staff, continued to flourish. In March 1965, there were 397 members.

56. Film Shows. Film shows were run at the expense of the Club once a week throughout the year for members and their families and were always well attended.

57. Sports. During the year, the Club entered a team in the miniature football competition organized by the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants' Association. A table tennis tournament was also held for members of the Club and was well supported.

58. Education. During the year under review, the Railway Club School continued to function successfully with 280 places in seven classes of 40 each with the elimination of a Preparatory Class for Junior 1 which was formed in September, 1963 for trial purposes, and closed in August, 1964 in compliance with the new education policy that no previous schooling should be required for children to enter class Junior 1. There were no changes in the teaching staff whose enthusiasm contrib- uted in no small measure to the success of the School. The pupils' attendance was good with an average of 98.7% and their progress in studies was very satisfactory. In the Secondary School Entrance Exam- ination held by the Education Department, the record of 100% passes was maintained. All the twenty-four candidates who were permitted to sit for the 1964 Examination passed every subject required in the Examination.

59. Free tuition lessons were regularly given after school hours to the backward children. This extra work was voluntarily carried out by the teachers themselves. A quiet room for self-study was provided for those pupils whose home environment was not suitable for study.

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