ENG-1962 — Page 150

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

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the two Government loan funds administered by the Co-operative Development and Fisheries Department.

A further important side to the organization's development programme is the provision of schooling facilities up to primary four standard for the children of fishermen. Classes have been extended to primary six in Shau Kei Wan, Tai O and Ap Chau, and adult education classes have been opened at Sha Tau Kok and Shau Kei Wan. Eleven schools have been established by the organization, all of which now come under the Education Depart- ment's subsidy code. At the close of the year, approximately 2,000 fishermen's children were receiving education at these schools and a further thousand were attending other schools on scholarships provided by the organization. All Fish Marketing Organization schools have advisory committees composed of leaders of the fishing communities served by the schools. In recognition of the importance of vocational training, a secondary modern school will be built at Aberdeen. It is intended that, at this school, fishermen's children will be able to continue their general education beyond the primary level and at the same time receive instruction in vocational subjects geared to the requirements of a modern fishing industry. With the co-operation of Radio Hong Kong a weekly radio programme directed toward the fishing community was con- tinued during the year. The programme, which is mainly educa- tional and informative, has been received enthusiastically by the fishermen.

The organization may one day be run by the fishermen them- selves as a co-operative enterprise, but lack of education is a problem that only time can solve. Wherever possible the fisheries extension division makes full use of the organization's close re- lationship with the fishing communities. The success of the organization has attracted world-wide interest and many overseas visitors and students come to study the operations of the organization.

Vegetable Marketing Organization. The advantages of the fish marketing scheme were obvious almost immediately and a similar scheme was introduced in 1946 for the Colony's other important primary producers, the vegetable farmers. From this developed the Vegetable Marketing Organization. The organization now operates under the Agricultural Products (Marketing) Ordinance, 1952,

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