ENG-1966 — Page 120

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Education

PROGRESS was made during 1966 in the implementation of proposals set out in the government white paper on education policy tabled in the Legislative Council on 28th April 1965 and formally adopted with certain modifications at a resumption of the debate on 30th June that year. The number of aided primary school places has been increased substantially and it seems likely that the target of providing a subsidized primary school place for every child of the right age who seeks one can be reached by 1971. Other sectors of education also recorded progress, and during the year the structure of the Education Department underwent reorganization to put into effect recommendations made in the 1965 white paper. A revision of duties subdivided responsibility over educational matters into the following sectors: further education and technical training, secondary education, primary education, and development and registration. At the same time the Chief Inspector of Schools was relieved of duties in connection with administration of schools. Consideration is now being given to the redeployment of other staff within this new framework.

A general account of the post-war development of education in Hong Kong is given in Chapter 1. Under the provisions of the Education Ordinance, the Director of Education is charged with the superintendence of matters relating to education in the Colony. He directly controls all government schools, while almost all others are required to be registered under the Education Ordinance, which provides the Director with the necessary powers to ensure the satisfactory nature of school buildings and the efficiency of schools and teachers.

On 7th June 1966 subsidiary legislation by the Governor in Council amended certain regulations in the Education Ordinance. Amongst the important amendments is one which allows the Director of Education, as a temporary measure in order to meet the shortage of school places, to increase the number of pupils

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