ENG-1970 — Page 106

EDUCATION

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of grants of Crown land to reliable bodies, provision of accommoda- tion in government low-cost housing estates, the waiving of rents in resettlement estates, the provision of teacher training and further education facilities. It also makes freely available professional advice which is greatly sought after by workers in this field.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

The great majority of primary schools use Cantonese as the language of instruction. English is studied as a second language from the second year of the course. Eight primary schools, including five operated by Government, cater for children whose first language is English.

The total primary day school enrolment in September was 741,476, compared with 725,295 in the previous year. In addition, 23,921 pupils attended primary night schools and a limited number of special afternoon classes. During the year 37,443 new primary places were provided, compared with 47,430 in the previous year. The target of providing a government or subsidised primary school place for every child of primary school age is expected to be reached in 1970-1. Further provision of school places will be geared mainly to the needs of developing areas.

Primary education is, at present, neither free nor compulsory. However, in government and government-aided primary school fees are low and the scheme of fee reduction, introduced in September 1968, has been further implemented since September 1969. The standard fees now chargeable in the public primary schools in urban and rural areas (which cater for the needs of about 74 per cent of the primary school population) are $20 and $10 per annum respec- tively. The reduction of fees, together with fee remission of 20 per cent of primary school places for government and subsidised schools, ensures that no child is deprived of a place in a public school solely through the inability of his parents to pay the fees. It is declared policy that if at any time it should appear that existing funds are inadequate to meet the demand for remission of fees in public primary schools in all cases of genuine hardship, the Government will authorise further expenditure even if it means that the rate of remission is raised to 30 per cent or higher.