ENG-1973 — Page 277

HISTORY

195

more opportunity in the government service for local personnel, including doctors, architects, administrators and teachers, and they have shown themselves well able to compete in professional and higher degree examinations overseas.

The Urban Council underwent an overall reorganisation on April 1, 1973. This followed the publication of the White Paper on the future of the Urban Council in October 1971 and its acceptance by the legislature in February 1972, giving the council substantial financial autonomy. The number of unofficial members was increased by four while all official members stood down, leaving 12 elected and 12 appointed members.

In the Legislative Council unofficial membership was increased to 15 by the end of 1972. Official membership, including the Governor, remained at 15. The Executive Council consists of six official members, including five ex-officio, and eight unofficial members.

An office of the Unofficial Members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council (UMELCO) was set up in 1963 to assist the public to resolve problems arising from their dealings with the government; and with the appointment in 1970 of an administrative secretary, the office is handling an increasing volume of complaints.

The machinery of central government was examined by a team of management consultants in 1972–3. In their final report, tabled in the Legislative Council on May 23, 1973, they recommended the creation of six policy and two resource branches in the Colonial Secretariat.

The policy branches are to deal with programme areas covering economic services, the environment, home affairs and information, housing, security, and social services. The two resource branches are responsible for the civil service, and for finance.

Recommendations in the report were generally accepted by the government, and the appointments of eight Secretaries to head the new branches were announced during the summer of 1973.

Economic expansion has enabled the government to increase its social services to match Hong Kong's all-round growth. Total enrolment in all types of schools and educational centres increased from 120,000 in 1948, to 1,290,000 in 1973. A govern- ment or subsidised primary school place is now available for every child of primary school age. Free primary education was introduced in September 1971 for the vernac- ular schools and at the same time a form of compulsory education for all primary schools came into force. A new policy for secondary education was also announced. Under this, three years of post primary education will be provided for all children in the age group 12-14 and it is hoped that half of the places required can be provided by 1976.

The University of Hong Kong re-opened in 1946 with a total of 109 students and, by 1973, had expanded to 3,146 under-graduates, 391 higher degree students and 238 students reading for post-graduate diplomas or certificates. The Chinese University of Hong Kong opened in October 1963 comprising three student colleges, Chung Chi, New Asia and United and enrolment had risen to 2,790 by September