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CHAIRMAN: I think that is quite a difficult one for the Committee, Mr. BLAKER. As you know, the judiciary is quite independent.
DR. HUANG:-Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee I would be only too glad to do so if I can.
(15) MR. D. J. R. BLAKER asked the following question:-
(a) What progress has been made in implementing this Council's decision to promote the use of study rooms? (b) Where is it considered that the initiative for promoting this programme should lie?
(c) Who will be expected to staff such study rooms?
(d) What contribution can be made by the Education and Home Affairs Departments?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
This question deals with the proposal to establish study rooms in which students can do their studies outside school hours, and as the Chairman of the relevant Select Committee has declined to handle this question, the reply falls to me to make.
With regard to the first part of the question, Members will recall that at the Urban Council meeting in June, 1968, the following motion moved by Mrs. ELLIOTT was carried unanimously:-
"That this Council recognize the need to provide reading rooms for study for young people living in the overcrowded urban areas; and that the Library Select Committee be authorized to submit proposals for this purpose."
In March 1969, Government approved the conversion of Building No. 4 in Kowloon Park as a study room as a pilot project to assess the need and to discover the particular requirements. The Public Works Department has been asked to carry out the necessary conversion. I understand that part of the conversion will be completed before December for an exhibition during the Festival of Hong Kong.
In reply to the second part of the question, I have to say that at the Library Select Committee's meeting in July this year, Members decided that whilst the building for the pilot project should remain under the Urban Council, consideration should be given as to whether it would be more appropriate for the Education Department or the Urban Council to be responsible for the staffing and general supervision of students in the study room. Discussions continue on this subject (and also on the kind of staff who would be appropriate) with the Education Department.
With regard to the third part of the question, the problem of who will staff the study rooms is still undecided but in the meantime, in order not to delay the Pilot Scheme, the Library Select Committee will consider at its next meeting the possibility of staffing the study rooms by casual but suitably qualified staff on a part-time hourly basis or by full-time staff of a more permanent nature. And the answer to the last part of the question is that
(a) the exact contribution which the Education Department can make to this scheme is still undecided though I would like to think that one or two existing classrooms in suitable Government schools which are not already being fully used for evening classes and other activities in the evenings, when normal school sessions are over and when the need for study rooms is at its peak, might be opened to students for study purposes, possibly on a trial basis in the first instance.
(b) the Home Affairs Department would be willing to consider whether volunteers could be interested in helping in this project.
MR. BLAKER: --Mr. Chairman, my primary purpose in asking this question was to draw attention to the unresolved question as to what contribution the Education Department could make. As a secondary matter, could I ask whether the Home Affairs Department would be willing and to be able in future to help find premises for this purpose?
CHAIRMAN: ---On the first part of your question, Mr. BLAKER, I would ask Members round this table to-day not to prejudice the discussions which I am having with the Education Department at the moment about this particular matter. I would like to think that the answer will be what the Council wants, but I do ask that nothing be said at this meeting which will prejudice these discussions. On the question of the Home Affairs Department trying to help us, I will be happy to put this question to Mr. HOLMES.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Sir, you say that the study rooms in this building, No. 4 in Kowloon Park, are to be used for an exhibition during the Festival of Hong Kong. An exhibition of what?
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CHAIRMAN: I think that is quite a difficult one for the Committee, Mr. BLAKER. As you know, the judiciary is quite independent.
DR. HUANG:-Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee I would be only too glad to do so if I can.
(15) MR. D. J. R. BLAKER asked the following question:-
(a) What progress has been made in implementing this Council's decision to promote the use of study rooms? (b) Where is it considered that the initiative for promoting
this programme should lie?
(c) Who will be expected to staff such study rooms?
(d) What contribution can be made by the Education and
Home Affairs Departments?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
This question deals with the proposal to establish study rooms in which students can do their studies outside school hours, and as the Chairman of the relevant Select Committee has declined to handle this question, the reply falls to me to make.
With regard to the first part of the question, Members will recall that at the Urban Council meeting in June, 1968, the following motion moved by Mrs. ELLIOTT was carried unanimously:-
"That this Council recognize the need to provide reading rooms for study for young people living in the overcrowded urban areas; and that the Library Select Committee be authorized to submit proposals for this purpose."
In March 1969, Government approved the conversion of Building No. 4 in Kowloon Park as a study room as a pilot project to assess the need and to discover the particular requirements. The Public Works Department has been asked to carry out the necessary conversion. I understand that part of the conversion will be completed before December for an exhibition during the Festival of Hong Kong.
In reply to the second part of the question, I have to say that at the Library Select Committee's meeting in July this year, Members decided that whilst the building for the pilot project should remain under the Urban Council,
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consideration should be given as to whether it would be more appropriate for the Education Department or the Urban Council to be responsible for the staffing and general supervision of students in the study room. Discussions continue on this subject (and also on the kind of staff who would be appropriate) with the Education Department.
With regard to the third part of the question, the problem of who will staff the study rooms is still undecided but in the meantime, in order not to delay the Pilot Scheme, the Library Select Committee will consider at its next meeting the possibility of staffing the study rooms by casual but suitably qualified staff on a part-time hourly basis or by full-time staff of a more permanent nature. And the answer to the last part of the question is that
(a) the exact contribution which the Education Depart-
ment can make to this scheme is still undecided though I would like to think that one or two existing classrooms in suitable Government schools which are not already being fully used for evening classes and other activities in the evenings, when normal school sessions are over and when the need for study rooms is at its peak, might be opened to students for study purposes, possibly on a trial basis in the first instance.
(b) the Home Affairs Department would be willing to consider whether volunteers could be interested in
helping in this project.
MR. BLAKER: --Mr. Chairman, my primary purpose in asking this question was to draw attention to the unresolved question as to what contribution the Education Department could make. As a secondary matter, could I ask whether the Home Affairs Department would be willing and to be able in future to help find premises for this purpose?
CHAIRMAN: ---On the first part of your question, Mr. BLAKER, I would ask Members round this table to-day not to prejudice the discussions which I am having with the Education Department at the moment about this particular matter. I would like to think that the answer will be what the Council wants, but I do ask that nothing be said at this meeting which will prejudice these discussions. On the question of the Home Affairs Department trying to help us, I will be happy to put this question to Mr. HOLMES.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Sir, you say that the study rooms in this building, No. 4 in Kowloon Park, are to be used for an exhibition during the Festival of Hong Kong. An exhibition of what?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.