Page 31 of 259
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It may be difficult, of course, to place children in school once they are over 8 or 9 years, and priority has to be given to children in the 6-8 age group. So, initially the programme will not even cost as much as $9 million per annum.
We have, from 1967 onwards, to pay an additional $40 million a year on defence—why can we not spend an extra $9 million a year to have our children of primary school age in resettlement estates sent to school?
It is the duty and responsibility of the Government to set up the machinery to investigate the economic circumstances of poverty-stricken families in resettlement estates, who are not sending their children to school. When a case of need has been established, a family education allowance should be given monthly so that the child can go to school.
There will have to be an element of compulsion upon the parents to carry out their obligation to their children. Once a family commences to receive an allowance under the scheme, the parents must be compelled by law to ensure that their children attend school.
Every child has a fundamental right to a full course of primary education, and it is the duty and obligation of both the Government and of the parents to see that this is done.
In Article 26(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is stated:
"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.
Now, if the Government is sincere in its expressed desire to expand local government in Hong Kong, it should work more positively towards universal and compulsory primary education.
Unless the younger generation are given more opportunities for education, so that they can know their civic rights and responsibilities, democracy will continue to remain a prized possession of the British people which will not be shared with the 4 million residents of Hong Kong.
Mr. Chairman, I ask the Government to improve upon and to enlarge the present family education assistance scheme that is already in operation in the resettlement estates.
The Government would be well advised also to set up a small task force within the Social Welfare Department to pursue the proposals which have been made today.
As long as I continue as an elected Councillor, I shall leave no stone unturned until we achieve Universal and Compulsory Primary Education for the children of Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Sir, I beg to move.
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN :—Mr. Chairman, I rise to second the motion moved by Mr. CHEUNG-LEEN. It is indeed ridiculous that 19,000 children of primary school age in Resettlement Estates are not going to school, and at the same time there are over 11,000 vacant school places in the same Estates. The Chinese traditional reverence for education is well-known. It is the need to have children help in family industries or doing household work, that has kept these children from school. It is a pity that no efforts have been made by Government to fill these vacant school places. Some useful work has been done by welfare agencies with donations from abroad, but the duty to help these remaining 19,000 children, and to fill the 11,000 vacant places, remains with Government. To save these 19,000 children, and many more in other areas from illiteracy, I urge the Government to take immediate steps to make the maximum use of our available school places and devise a programme to assist poor families so that all children of school age may be enabled to go to school.
MR. BERNACCHI :—Presumably, this Motion by Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN has nothing to do with the forthcoming election and on that basis, I will proceed to consider it further on its merits.
As I inferred in my answer to a question by Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN earlier this evening, the element of compulsion, as apparently he agrees, is essential if we are to secure education for all our youngsters. In saying this, I quite appreciate the difficulties which the poorer tenants of our resettlement estates have in making enough to meet the rise in the cost of living, which Government has not attempted to combat by imposing ceiling prices on the cost of rice and other essential commodities, to say nothing of the family's medical expenses, rental, etc. But from the answers that the Commissioner for Resettlement has given over the past few months, it appears that arrangements can be made for all children of primary school age in resettlement areas to have education and that the number of free places are by no means all taken up. Therefore, apart from sounding good to express our concern about the number of children in resettlement estates not attending schools, this Motion in its present form will have no meaning unless there is added to it:
"And urges the Government to make provision for free compulsory primary education in Hong Kong".
I have gone over the figures fairly carefully and allowing for the number of children that can be estimated not to take advantage of free schools, or free places in schools, I do not think it would cost Government more than another $30 million per annum at present. This is insignificant, compared to the other expenses passed in the current
45
Page 32 of 259
259
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44
Page 31 of 259
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It may be difficult, of course, to place children in school once they are over 8 or 9 years, and priority has to be given to children in the 6-8 age group. So, initially the programme will not even cost as much as $9 million per annum.
We have, from 1967 onwards, to pay an additional $40 million a year on defence-why can we not spend an extra $9 million a year to have our children of primary school age in resettlement estates sent to school?
It is the duty and responsibility of the Government to set up the machinery to investigate the economic circumstances of poverty-stricken families in resettlement estates, who are not sending their children to school. When a case of need has been established, a family education allowance should be given monthly so that the child can go to school.
There will have to be an element of compulsion upon the parents to carry out their obligation to their children. Once a family com- mences to receive an allowance under the scheme, the parents must be compelled by law to ensure that their children attend school.
Every child has a fundamental right to a full course of primary education, and it is the duty and obligation of both the Government and of the parents to see that this is done.
In Article 26(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is stated:
"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.
Now, if the Government is sincere in its expressed desire to expand local government in Hong Kong, it should work more positively towards Unless the younger universal and compulsory primary education.
generation are given more opportunities for education, so that they can know their civic rights and responsibilities, democracy will continue to remain a prized possession of the British people which will not be shared with the 4 million residents of Hong Kong.
Mr. Chairman, I ask the Government to improve upon and to enlarge the present family education assistance scheme that is already in operation in the resettlement estates.
The Government would be well advised also to set up a small task force within the Social Welfare Department to pursue the pro- posals which have been made today.
As long as I continue as an elected Councillor, I shall leave no stone unturned until we achieve Universal and Compulsory Primary Education for the children of Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Sir, I beg to move.
45
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN :--Mr. Chairman, I rise to second the motion moved by Mr. CHEUNG-LEEN. It is indeed ridiculous that 19,000 children of primary school age in Resettlement Estates are not going to school, and at the same time there are over 11,000 vacant school places in the same Estates. The Chinese traditional reverence for education is well-known. It is the need to have children help in family industries or doing household work, that has kept these children from school. It is a pity that no efforts have been made by Government to fill these vacant school places. Some useful work has been done by welfare agencies with donations from abroad, but the duty to help these remaining 19,000 children, and to fill the 11,000 vacant places, remains with Government. To save these 19,000 children, and many more in other areas from illiteracy, I urge the Government to take immediate steps to make the maximum use of our available school places and devise a programme to assist poor families so that all children of school age may be enabled to go to school.
MR. BERNACCHI :-Presumably, this Motion by Mr. Hilton CHEONG- LEEN has nothing to do with the forth coming election and on that basis, I will proceed to consider it further on its merits.
As I inferred in my answer to a question by Mr. Hilton CHEONG- LEEN earlier this evening, the element of compulsion, as apparently he agrees, is essential if we are to secure education for all our young- sters. In saying this, I quite appreciate the difficulties which the poorer tenants of our resettlement estates have in making enough to meet the rise in the cost of living, which Government has not attempted to com- bat by imposing ceiling prices on the cost of rice and other essential commodities, to say nothing of the family's medical expenses, rental, etc. But from the answers that the Commissioner for Resettlement has given over the past few months, it appears that arrangements can be made for all children of primary school age in resettlement areas to have education and that the number of free places are by no means all taken up. Therefore, apart from sounding good to express our concern about the number of children in resettlement estates not attending schools, this Motion in its present form will have no meaning unless there is added to it:
"And urges the Government to make provision for free com- pulsory primary education in Hong Kong".
I have gone over the figures fairly carefully and allowing for the number of children that can be estimated not to take advantage of free schools, or free places in schools, I do not think it would cost Govern- ment more than another $30 million per annum at present. This is insignificant, compared to the other expenses passed in the current
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