Page 198 of 212
324
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion for adopting the statement of aims. (Applause.)
MR. WONG SHIU-CHEUCK (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I propose to address myself straightway to the problems confronting a segment of our society which is badly in need of help. More specifically I refer to the age group from twelve to fourteen. As at the 1971 Census, there were roughly 310,000 children in this age group.
Of these nearly 15,000 were reported to be neither at work nor at school.
15,000 is by no means a figure which can conveniently be ignored anywhere. This is particularly so in Hong Kong where, because of our unusually high density of population, our social strains and stresses are that much greater. Hong Kong is no longer an immigrant society in which people would not expect much beyond ways and means of eking out a living. Some 55% of our total population is under 25 and the great majority of them were born in Hong Kong. They have higher expectations in life than their parents. This is the source of strength as well as the source of weakness in our society. Our younger generation will strive to create a better life for themselves and out of this determination will come the resolve and hard work that will bring about progress.
At the same time, given the laissez-faire nature of our economy and our society, some of them are bound to be dropouts in the competition process. Our last population census suggests that the number of dropouts, even at the early age of 12 to 14, has already reached a staggering figure of 15,000.
What is in store for these 15,000 youngsters? Gloom. Until they reach the age of 14, they are not allowed to enter industrial employment at all. What are their chances of finding employment in the commercial sector? Very poor. If they are dropouts at the early age of 12 the chances are that they will not have enough basic education which will fit them into even the most junior level in commercial jobs. Yet it is this very group which needs guidance and help most badly from the community. The sad thing is that at the present moment nobody appears to have any clear idea as to what should be done to help them. The Board of Education, in its recent "Report on the proposed Expansion of Secondary School Education in Hong Kong over the Next Decade", whilst confirming the ultimate target of providing three years of secondary education to all in the 12 to 14 age group, has only managed to lay down an interim target of secondary school places for 80% of the 12 to 14 age group by 1981. This means for seven more years at least, 20% of this age group will not be catered for. What I fear most is that, given the nature of our selection system, the 15,000 problem youngsters which I mentioned earlier would fall within this very 20% not being catered for. We may then have a situation in which, despite tremendous progress between now and 1981, this rock-bottom group of 15,000 will hardly be touched at all.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
325
We often hear talks of the need to give the younger generation of Hong Kong a sense of purpose in life, so that when their time comes they will have a positive role to play in our society. This 15,000 lost sheep form the group which needs to be given a chance of developing their sense of purpose in life. This is the group which if we neglect we would be doing so at our peril.
I do not profess to know the full answers to this problem. This however is a very genuine problem, one which has been close to my heart for years. I raise it today so that it could receive the attention from the community that is due. I notice that the Director of Social Welfare has recently instituted a system of district Community and Youth Officers. I sincerely hope that they will steer their efforts to this very problem as a matter of priority. I have also noticed that the Government has recently set up a Council for Recreation and Sport. I hope that this Council too will address itself to this problem as a matter of urgency.
To my mind we need to tackle the problem on at least two fronts.
The first front on which to pin our efforts is that we should aim to provide healthy and useful outlets for their energy so that they could recreate themselves. The Urban Council of course has been pursuing a vigorous policy of expanding recreational facilities for many years and will continue to be doing so. We need to build more parks, more playgrounds as well as recreational and sports facilities of all kinds.
The second front on which to pin our efforts is that we should aim at providing activities which would go much beyond recreation and sport. In a sense we need to integrate these 15,000 problem youngsters into our society: we need to pave the way for them to work their way towards becoming useful members of our society. This work will go straight into fields such as education, training and employment. We need to provide them with chances of recreation: but above all we need to provide them with chances of developing their know-how, so that armed with this know-how, they could have a place for themselves in our highly competitive economy.
In short we need to have a two-front programme geared specifically to the needs of these rock-bottom 15,000.
Page 199 of 212
324
...
Page 199 of 212
T
13
Page 198 of 212
324
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion for adopting the statement of aims. (Applause.)
MR. WONG SHIU-CHEUCK (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I propose to address myself straightway to the problems confronting a segment of our society which is badly in need of help. More specifically I refer to the age group from twelve to fourteen. As at the 1971 Census, there were roughly 310,000 children in this age group.
Of these nearly 15,000 were reported to be neither at work nor at school.
15,000 is by no means a figure which can conveniently be ignored anywhere. This is particulary so in Hong Kong where, because of our unusually high density of population, our social strains and stresses are that much greater. Hong Kong is no longer an immigrant society in which people would not expect much beyond ways and means of eking out a living. Some 55% of our total population is under 25 and the great majority of them were born in Hong Kong. They have higher expectations in life than their parents. This is the source of strength as well as the source of weakness in our society. Our younger genera- tion will strive to create a better life for themselves and out of this determination will come the resolve and hard work that will bring about progress.
At the same time, given the laissez faire nature of our economy and our society, some of them are bound to be dropouts in the competition process. Our last population census suggests that the number of dropouts, even at the early age of 12 to 14, has already reached a staggering figure of 15,000.
What is in store for these 15,000 youngsters? Gloom. Until they reach the age of 14, they are not allowed to enter industrial employ- ment at all. What are their chances of finding employment in the commercial sector? Very poor. If they are dropouts at the early age of 12 the chances are that they will not have enough basic education which will fit them into even the most junior level in commercial jobs. Yet it is this very group which needs guidance and help most badly from the community. The sad thing is that at the present moment nobody appears to have any clear idea as to what should be done to help them. The Board of Education, in its recent "Report on the proposed Expansion of Secondary School Education in Hong Kong over the Next Decade", whilst confirming the ultimate target of provid- ing three years of secondary education to all in the 12 to 14 age group, has only managed to lay down an interim target of secondary school places for 80% of the 12 to 14 age group by 1981. This means for seven more years at least, 20% of this age group will not be catered for. What I fear most is that, given the nature of our selection system, the 15,000 problem youngsters which I mentioned earlier would fall within
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
325
this very 20% not being catered for. We may then have a situation in which, despite tremendous progress between now and 1981, this rock- bottom group of 15,000 will hardly be touched at all.
We often hear talks of the need to give the younger generation of Hong Kong a sense of purpose in life, so that when their time comes they will have a positive role to play in our society. This 15,000 lost sheep form the group which needs to be given a chance of developing their sense of purpose in life. This is the group which if we neglect we would be doing so at our peril.
I do not profess to know the full answers to this problem. This however is a very genuine problem, one which has been close to my heart for years. I raise it today so that it could receive the attention from the community that is due. I notice that the Director of Social Welfare has recently instituted a system of district Community and Youth Officers. I sincerely hope that they will steer their efforts to this very problem as a matter of priority. I have also noticed that the Government has recently set up a Council for Recreation and Sport. I hope that this Council too will address itself to this problem as a matter of urgency.
To my mind we need to tackle the problem on at least two fronts.
The first front on which to pin our efforts is that we should aim to provide healthy and useful outlets for their energy so that they could recreate themselves. The Urban Council of course has been pursuing a vigorous policy of expanding recreational facilities for many We need to build more parks years and will continue to be doing so. more playgrounds as well as recreational and sports facilities of all kinds.
The second front on which to pin our efforts is that we should aim at providing activities which would go much beyond recreation and sport. In a sense we need to integrate these 15,000 problem young- sters into our society: we need to pave the way for them to work their way towards becoming useful members of our society. This work will go straight into fields such as education, training and employ- ment. We need to provide them with chances of recreation: but above all we need to provide them with chances of developing their know- how, so that armed with this know-how, they could have a place for themselves in our highly competitive economy.
In short we need to have a two-front programme geared specifically to the needs of these rock-bottom 15,000.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.