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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

progressed satisfactorily. The present target figure is 33,000 new places each year. Four new government schools were completed during the year providing 78 classrooms with accommodation for 7,020 pupils. In addition, as part of this plan subsidies were given to 21 out of a total of 28 schools with new buildings providing accommodation for 17,700 pupils, mostly primary. The Government has also approved easier terms for interest-free loans granted to non-profit- making private schools, and is giving financial assistance toward site-formation in cases where costs are very high.

The Government directly maintains 36 primary schools, 10 secondary schools, 2 technical secondary schools, a technical college, 2 teacher training colleges, and 3 evening institutions. The average age of entering and leaving govern- ment primary schools is a little over six and 13 respectively, and for secondary schools just over 13 and 19.

Grant schools function under the terms of the Grant Code, under which Government pays the difference between the approved expenditure of a school and its income from fees and other sources. This approved expenditure includes salaries, leave pay, incidentals, and passages for teachers who are so entitled. Alternatively, a block grant may be made, providing teachers' salaries less a sum of not more than $400 a month per teacher, the actual deduction being dependent upon the fees charged, which are retained by the school. Grants may also be made up to 50% of the cost of new buildings and major repairs. Of the 20 secondary schools functioning under the Grant Code, many have large primary departments. The usual medium of instruction in the senior classes is English.

To ensure the selection of the best candidates for second- ary education, the grant-aided schools, which previously made their own selection, have now agreed either to partici- pate in the Joint Primary 6 Examination and admit up to 67% of their Form I entrants on the results, or to reserve