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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
wind-surfing and fencing will at most be transient sparks in our society; they will not bring about perpetual glory.
If we look back at the strategic plan of 1996-2000 submitted by the Sports Development Board (SDB) last year, it specifically pointed out that the percentages of Government allocation of fund to the SDB in the last few years had been on the decline year after year, dropping from 61% in 91/92 to 48%.
Although achievements in sports in Hong Kong have been progressing in recent years, the Government allocation of funds has been dropping. It makes the public doubt whether the Government is sincere in promoting sports development in Hong Kong.
I believe the public wants more than celebration activities hosted by Government and attended by many officials together with these athletes; I mean all that sort of show. I think that such spiritual support from Government is only a lip service. They do little for sports development and nothing substantial can be gained. As to how much the Government has done for sports in Hong Kong, I am sure the public knows.
Of course, long term development in sports depends on a number of factors. Government subsidy is an important factor, but not all. Clearly, the Government must formulate a sports development policy to go along with the work of the two Municipal Councils and the Sports Development Board. In the strategic plan I mentioned before, there is a clear indication of disappointment with Government. Let me give an example. When the Government plans to build some public facilities on Crown land, very often they have reflected the locations of some primary or secondary schools. Although such facilities are available, schools very often cannot make use of them because of traffic inconvenience. It proves that the Central Government does not have a complete set of policies to lay down the foundation for sports development in Hong Kong.
Let me now turn to some concrete examples. What sort of role is the Government playing on our primary education and can it do better? Most of our primary schools are unable to develop overall training in sports because of difficulties in land and finance. We may be able to have better trainers to make up, but unfortunately our sports teachers are limited in their qualifications and experience and some of them are not even adequately trained for Physical education. Some school principals may not agree with this view, but I can see that a lot of sports teachers take up the subject as their minor subject only. Very often, interest of students in sports cannot be cultivated properly from a young age. As for secondary schools, although we have physical education as a subject in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, few people take the subject. I personally think it may have something to do with the fact that results in the subject are not considered in trying to get into matriculation classes. Under the circumstances, how can we make students attach importance to this subject?
Page 218 of 498
Page 218 of 498
Page 218 of 498
Page 218 of 498
Page 218 of 498
Page 218 of 498
214
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
wind-surfing and fencing will at most be transient sparks in our society; they will not bring about perpetual glory.
If we look back at the strategic plan of 1996-2000 submitted by the Sports Development Board (SDB) last year, it specifically pointed out that the percentages of Government allocation of fund to the SDB in the last few years had been on the decline year after year, dropping from 61% in 91/92 to 48%.
Although achievements in sports in Hong Kong have been progressing in recent years, the Government allocation of funds has been dropping. It makes the public doubt whether the Government is sincere in promoting sports development in Hong Kong.
I believe the public wants more than celebration activities hosted by Government and attended by many officials together with these athletes; I mean all that sort of show. I think that such spiritual support from Government is only a lip service. They do little for sports development and nothing substantial can be gained. As to how much the Government has done for sports in Hong Kong, I am sure the public knows.
Of course, long term development in sports depends on a number of factors. Government subsidy is an important factor, but not all. Clearly, the Government must formulate a sports development policy to go along with the work of the two Municipal Councils and the Sports Development Board. In the strategic plan I mentioned before, there is a clear indication of disappointment with Government. Let me give an example. When the Government plans to build some public facilities on Crown land, very often they have reflected the locations of some primary or secondary schools. Although such facilities are available, schools very often cannot make use of them because of traffic inconvenience. It proves that the Central Government does not have a complete set of policies to lay down the foundation for sports development in Hong Kong.
Let me now turn to some concrete examples. What sort of role is the Government playing on our primary education and can it do better? Most of our primary schools are unable to develop overall training in sports because of difficulties in land and finance. We may be able to have better trainers to make up, but unfortunately our sports teachers are limited in their qualifications and experience and some of them are not even adequately trained for Physical education. Some school principals may not agree with this view, but I can see that a lot of sports teachers take up the subject as their minor subject only. Very often, interest of students in sports cannot be cultivated properly from a young age. As for secondary schools, although we have physical education as a subject in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, few people take the subject. I personally think it may have something to do with the fact that results in the subject are not considered in trying to get into matriculation classes. Under the circumstances, how can we make students attach importance to this subject?
Page 218 of 498
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