5.
in reading their native language. Once the findings of this study are available, construction of diagnostic tests for analysing specific learning difficulties in Chinese will be planned.
While on the subject of rehabilitation, I must refer
to Miss Bennett's point about delays in the Rehabilitation Development Co-ordination Committee. I can think of one matter to which Miss Bennett may be referring: the revision of the Codes of Aid for Primary and Secondary Special Schools and Special Classes to enable the Education Department to take over from the Social Welfare Department the administration of centres run by voluntary bodies for mentally retarded children and to improve their existing services. The actual taking over of these centres is a complicated business. It began in April this year and is expected to be completed by April next year. The process for the revision of the Codes of Aid for Special Schools and Special Classes is now nearly finished. A paper setting out the proposed
amendments to the Codes of Aid has in fact been sent to the
RDCC Sub-Committee on Education secking its advice on the various
recommendations.
Mr. Alex Wu has also expressed concern about language teaching and has stressed the importance in today's world of the ability to communicate easily and effectively. In Hong Kong this means that we must, through our education system, ensure that all our young people reach the highest level of skill of which they are capable in their first language. For the vast majority, this means skill in Chinese. I have already commented on what we are doing in this area in response to Miss Bennett. The well-being of Hong Kong, however, also depends to a degree on skill in the English language. The whole question of the teaching of English in our schools is at present under review, and to direct this review there is an English Language Adviser now attached to the Education Department. It is too early to indicate the result of the review or the proposals which will come from it. What I can say at present is that in many parts of the world,
/in foreign