1964 — Page 88

612

Page 88 of 312

154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:

Is the Chairman aware that although there are 1,000 vacant primary school places in the Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Estate, there are still many thousands of children of primary school age living in the Estate who are unable to attend school? Does the Resettlement Department have any fund which could assist some or all of these under-privileged children to get free primary schooling in this estate? If not, can the Education Department or the Social Welfare Department do something to remedy this social injustice?

THE COMMISSIONER for Resettlement replied as follows:-

A rapid survey by the estate staff shows that there are 25,149 places in ground floor, rooftop and separate school buildings within the boundaries of Wong Tai Sin Estate, of which 1,702 or 6.8% are vacant. According to our tenancy records, there are 18,697 children between the ages of 7 and 13 living in the estate. By inquiring at the schools and by carrying out a room-to- room check, my staff estimate that 12,581 children of primary school age resident in the estate attend schools within the estate, and a further 2,664 are at schools out- side the estate. In other words, 81.6% of the children of primary school age are receiving primary education. The remaining 3,452, or 18.4%, are not attending any school. I cannot vouch for the complete accuracy of these figures, and even if the count were completely correct, other factors must be taken into account. For example, there are probably several hundred children of primary school age who are not recorded as authorized residents. Again, many private schools accept children under the age of 7. Nevertheless, this survey does not suggest that there are "many thousands of children of primary school age living in the estate who are unable to attend school," particularly as priority of admission to Government, Aided and rooftop schools is given to children from the vicinity.

Neither the Resettlement nor the Social Welfare Department has any fund to assist with the payment of school fees, but Members will be aware that remission of fees is normally granted to 10% of the pupils in Government and Aided schools. The Director of Social Welfare recommends the children of needy families to Govern- ment Schools, where the parents can apply for exemption

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

155

from the fees when the children are admitted. A number of Voluntary Agencies also assist with the payment of fees, and the Social Welfare Department is always ready to put deserving cases in touch with these agencies.

I am advised that the inability to pay fees is by no means the only, nor perhaps the chief reason why some children are kept out of school. An important factor is the tendency of both parents to seek employment outside the home, leaving the younger children in the care of an older brother or sister.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, might I ask the Commissioner for Resettlement, through you, whether he is referring to children in the age group of 7 and 13 for the 3,452 children who are not attending any schools?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Yes, Sir, between the ages of 7 and 13.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In making surveys like these, Mr. Chairman, can the Commissioner tell this Council whether he considers the work of his staff as fairly efficient, inefficient, or highly efficient? (Laughter),

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: —I would hesitate to answer that, but I put it this way. That necessarily the time is short when it is a question of making a survey to answer Members' questions at the next meeting of the Council, and therefore there are bound to be quite a number of hazards in making the count.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Well, to put my question in another way: Does the Commissioner consider that this reply is a fairly good estimate?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: ---I would hope so.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you. In other words, Mr. Chairman, there are approximately 18.4% of children of primary school ages between 7 and 13 who are not attending any schools in this figure.

COMMISSIONER for ResettlEMENT:-I have already said so, Sir.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you. Mr. Chairman, with due respect to the Commissioner, may I ask him to elaborate in regard to the last sentence of the second paragraph, "Nevertheless, this survey does not suggest that there are many thousands of children of primary school age living in the estate who are unable to attend school,' particularly as priority of admission to Government, Aided and rooftop schools is given to children from the vicinity"? I am not too sure what that means and I would appreciate elaboration on it.