ENG-1974 — Page 20

A SOCIAL COMMITMENT

3

women and children who were victims of abduction. It gradually evolved into a residential institution for children in need of care and protection. It has now extended its activities into other fields of social service such as non-profit-making schools, nurseries and creches in public housing estates.

The post-war years brought many international relief agencies to Hong Kong. Their first tasks were to help in rehabilitation after the Japanese occupation and in caring for the flood of immigrants arriving from China. Many of these agencies continue to make a significant contribution to social services in Hong Kong and they have been joined by many voluntary agencies, most of which receive financial support both locally and from overseas. The Community Chest which is a locally sponsored voluntary organisation raised $12 million in 1974 from the community for distribution among its 65 member agencies.

Voluntary agencies have provided many important services including child care, rehabilitation of the disabled, recreation, training, family services, community de- velopment, care of the blind and the treatment of drug addicts. As voluntary services grew in scope, so did the importance of closer liaison between the bodies which provided them. This need is met by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service which now co-ordinates the work of 93 agencies.

The council serves as a central point of contact both between the agencies themselves and between agencies and the government. The council played a valuable part in the preparation of the White Paper 'Social Welfare-The Way Ahead' and the complementary five year plan tabled in the Legislative Council in 1973. It co- operates closely with the Social Welfare Department in viewing this plan to ensure that it meets the changing needs of the community.

Other voluntary agencies representing both religious and lay organisations make a large contribution to education. Many of the best primary and secondary schools, as well as special schools for the handicapped, are operated by them. They receive capital assistance from the government toward the construction of new schools and annual subventions to meet operating costs. They also make contributions to hospital and clinic services, about 48 per cent of hospital beds being provided by hospitals administered by such agencies. The majority of these aided services in the education and medical fields operate independently of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and the Community Chest.

A Government Commitment to Social Services

In the early 1950s the government began to assume a greater share of the re- sponsibility for social services.

In education, the government embarked in 1954 on a seven year plan to expand primary schooling. By 1961 it had provided an additional 313,000 primary school places, surpassing the original target by a third. By 1966, a further 200,000 primary school places had been created.

A milestone was reached in 1971, when free primary education was introduced in all government Chinese schools and in most aided primary schools. With universal