Page 180 of 237
336
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Now you may ask why Government should assist private schools. From the following statistics, taken from the Education Department, the importance of the role played by private schools is evident :-
Type of School No. of Schools Enrollment Govt. Schools 134 137,994 Grant Schools 22 21,703 Subsidized Schools 669 473,211 Private Schools 1,877 561,278 Grand Total 2,702 1,194,186Out of the Grand total of 2,702 schools, (This does not include the special schools) 1,877 are Private Schools. The total enrollment of students is 1,194,186, and students enrolled in private schools are 561,278 which shows private schools have almost half the school population.
Private schools, both non-aided and aided or better known, profit and non-profit making, have long been recognized as an integral part of Hong Kong's education system, but measures to extend aid to private schools are still held up by Government. Particularly those non-aided schools are left to fend for themselves against increasing difficulties as to their recurrent expenditure and their teachers. Most of these schools are now faced with crippling rent increases.
Government should recognize that private schools, tending as they do to almost half the school population, are an indispensable part of our education system. It seems to me they deserve to have their financial problems examined with a view to being aided, than being regarded as business firms in a laissez-faire economy. With help these schools could play an even greater role than at present and with help, these schools could plan ahead. For instance, they could be given preference in acquiring school premises at the low cost housing estates and resettlement estates for Kindergarten use and earmarked sites in urban areas made available to Private Schools for Post Primary purposes. If this is done, it would mean a lowering of school fees which have always been a very heavy burden on the average parents.
The second problem I would like to deal with is the matter of temptation, and its effect on the moral fibre of young people. It seems to me that there is an almost complete lack of control over the vice and immorality which abound in our midst. The abundance of bars, discotheques, massage establishments, so-called boarding houses, book stalls selling obscenity is for all to see. How much longer should we Councillors tolerate such wilful perversion of our Youth?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
337
Are we doing anything to right the situation? I venture to say we are doing precious little. Government has its sanitary and health inspectors. Would it not be feasible to suggest that Government deploy moral and spiritual inspectors as well? Group activities such as boy scout, girl guide associations, road safety patrols, civil aid services and so on need greater encouragement. As an incentive, could not Government consider supplying free uniforms to any association that makes its chief object the moral and character training of youth.
In this connection I would like to touch on the problem of youth on the streets. Triad societies and gangs of teddy boys seem to be well organized and well financed. Is the Triad Society Bureau and Juvenile Liaison Office of our Police Force equally as well organized, or are they, like so many Government Departments, short-staffed? Over a quarter of all crimes committed are attributable to our young people under the age of 20. We need only to glance at our newspapers to observe that crime among our young people is terrifyingly regular. Would Government consider rousing citizens in a concerted fight against youth crime, some of which is most certainly due to an inability to school the lot.
Finally I wish to touch on the question of management and control of multi-storey buildings, on which the press has rightly dwelt for the past two years. Recently the tenants of a certain large building were deprived of water because water rates had not been paid. There is a lot more to the problem than the failure to pay water bills. Electric wiring, lift maintenance, firefighting equipment and so on, all are left unattended by owners or tenants who seem to have ignored their existence. Would Government consider insisting on better building management, by first to begin with, setting aside a certain percentage of the rates for this purpose? Failure to collect water bills is one thing: failure to legislate against criminal negligence endangering human lives is another. I feel we should insist that Government take a stronger and more critical look at buildings which are clearly fire hazards, and increase court fines and sentences on negligent owners or tenants. I venture to suggest that to ignore the possibility is criminal in itself; and that collection of water rates is quite secondary to the problem of fire hazards in some of these multi-storey buildings.
Mr. Chairman, our citizens look to our Councillors for a solution to many civic problems. I have raised but three today because I genuinely feel they cry out for attention. We may not be able to find a solution overnight, but let us not be found wanting for lack of attention.
Page 180
Page 181
37
Page 180 of 237
336
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Now you may ask why Government should assist private schools. From the following statistics, taken from the Education Department, the importance of the role played by private schools is evident :-
Enrollment
137,994
Type of School
No. of Schools
Govt. Schools
134
Grant Schools
22
21,703
Subsidized Schools
669
473,211
Private Schools
1,877
561,278
Grand Total
2,702
1,194,186
Out of the Grand total of 2,702 schools, (This does not include the special schools) 1,877 are Private Schools. The total enrollment of students is 1,194,186, and students enrolled in private schools are 561,278 which shows private schools have almost half the school population.
Private schools, both non-aided and aided or better known, profit and non-profit making, have long been recognized as an integral part of Hong Kong's education system, but measures to extend aid to private schools are still held up by Government. Particularly those non-aided schools are left to fend for themselves against increasing difficulties as to their recurrent expenditure and their teachers. Most of these schools are now faced with crippling rent increases.
Government should recognize that private schools, tending as they do to almost half the school population, are an indispensable part of our education system. It seems to me they deserve to have their financial problems examined with a view to being aided, than being regarded as business firms in a laissez-faire economy. With help these schools could play an even greater role than at present and with help, these schools could plan ahead. For instance, they could be given preference in acquiring school premises at the low cost housing estates and resettlement estates for Kindergarten use and earmarked sites in urban areas made available to Private Schools for Post Primary purposes. If this is done, it would mean a lowering of school fees which have always been a very heavy burden on the average parents.
The second problem I would like to deal with is the matter of temptation, and its effect on the moral fibre of young people. It seems to me that there is an almost complete lack of control over the vice and immorality which abound in our midst. The aboundance of bars, discotheques, massage establishments, so-called boarding houses, book stalls selling obscenity is for all to see. How much longer should we Councillors tolerate such wilful perversion of our Youth?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
337
Are we doing anything to right the situation? I venture to say we are doing precious little. Government has its sanitary and health inspectors. Would it not be feasible to suggest that Government deploy moral and spiritual inspector as well? Group activities such as boy scout, girl guide associations, road safety patrols, civil aid services and so on need greater encouragement. As an incentive, could not Government consider supplying free uniforms
to any association that makes its chief object the moral and character training of youth.
In this connection I would like to touch on the problem of youth on the streets. Triad societies and gangs of teddy boys seem to be well organized and well financed. Is the Triad Society Bureau and Juvenile Liaison Office of our Police Force equally as well organized, or are they, like so many Government Departments, short-staffed? Over a quarter of all crimes committed are attributable to our young people under the age of 20. We need only to glance at our newspapers to observe that crime among our young people is terrifyingly regular. Would Government consider rousing citizens in a concerted fight against youth crime, some of which is most certainly due to an inability to school the lot.
Finally I wish to touch on the question of management and control of multi-storey buildings, on which the press has rightly dwelt for the past two years. Recently the tenants of a certain large building were deprived of water because water rates had not been paid. There is a lot more to the problem than the failure to pay water bills. Electric wiring, lift maintenance, firefighting equipment and so on, all are left unattended by owners or tenants who seem to have ignored their existence. Would Government consider insisting on better building management, by first to begin with, setting aside a certain percentage of the rates for this purpose? Failure to collect water bills is one thing: failure to legislate against criminal negligence endangering human lives is another. I feel we should insist that Government take a stronger and more critical look at buildings which are clearly fire hazards, and increase court fines and sentences on negligent owners or tenants. I venture to suggest that to ignore the possibility is criminal in itself; and that collection of water rates is quite secondary to the problem of fire hazards in some of these multi- storey buildings.
Mr. Chairman, our citizens look to our Councillors for a solution to many civic problems. I have raised but three today because I genuinely feel they cry out for attention. We may not be able to find a solution overnight, but let us not be found wanting for lack of attention.
Page 180Page 181
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