Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1956-1957 — Page 47

well advanced for the building next year of an eight-classroom primary school at Tai Woh Hau (Tsuen Wan) by the Church of Christ in China, a Salvation Army Nursery also at Tai Woh Hau, a twelve-classroom primary school in Homantin to be managed by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, another twelve-classroom primary school at King's Park to be run by the Swatow Christian Church, and a Kaifong Welfare Associa- tion school at Chai Wan which will provide eight classrooms.

91. There are also eight Kaifong Welfare Associations, which work under the guidance of the Social Welfare Office, in Chai Wan, Sookunpoo, Mount Davis, Homantin, King's Park, Lai Chi Kok, Tung Tau and Ngau Tau Kok, where they play an important part in fostering a sense of responsibility among the settlers who have time to take an active interest in the affairs of their resettlement area. Regular meetings are now held in the Resettlement Administration Office, Kowloon with representatives of these Kaifong Associations. In areas where Kaifong Associations do not yet exist the department is en- couraging the formation of committees which meet regularly under the chairmanship of a senior officer of the department.

92. In the multi-storey estates the Resettlement Department has no sites to offer to voluntary agencies. A different policy has therefore had to be evolved. Firstly, the open roofs of multi-storey buildings with penthouses at either end have been designed for recreation and welfare purposes and this fact has been made known by the Social Welfare Office to all voluntary agencies, several of whom have started boys' and girls' clubs. on these rooftops, for which no rent is charged. Voluntary agencies may also rent other rooms, either on ground or upper floors for welfare purposes approved by the Social Welfare Office. The urgent need for schools was however not being met by these measures and for this reason the Education Depart- ment agreed during the year under review that the rooftops of resettlement buildings could also be used for primary school purposes, the penthouses at either end being enclosed and converted into classrooms, while the open spaces in between become school playgrounds. By the end of the year there were 21 boys' and girls' clubs and 11 primary schools on the rooftops of multi-storey buildings and many more applications by volun- tary agencies who wish to start schools were being considered.

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