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OF FUNDS, TO CONSIDER MEETING THE ADDITIONAL COSTS ARISING FROM
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS. THEY ARE ALSO NOW COMPILING ACTIVITIES
INVOLVEMENT' RECORDS FOR INCLUSION IN EACH REFUGEE'S CASE
HISTORY. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO RESETTLEMENT
COUNTRIES AND SHOULD BOTH HELP WITH RESETTLEMENT AND ENCOURAGE
REFUGEES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES WHICH
ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN
3. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ACCORD FIRST PRIORITY TO IMPROVING
EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN IN THE CAMPS. THEY AIM TO STANDARDISE
EDUCATION FOR THE 6 15 AGE GROUP THROUGHOUT THE CAMPS, IN ORDER
TO ENABLE ALL CHILDREN TO ATTEND SCHOOL DAILY FOR 4 HOURS (THIS
COMPARES WITH THE 4.5 HOURS EDUCATION PROVIDED FOR LOCAL CHILDREN
IN HONG KONG). TO MAXIMISE THE USE OF CLASSROOM SPACE, A
BI-SESSIONAL SYSTEM WILL BE INTRODUCED WHEREBY HALF THE CHILDREN
WILL ATTEND CLASSES IN THE MORNINGS, AND HALF IN THE AFTERNOONS.
THIS IS A COMMON FORM OF SCHOOLING IN HONG KONG BECAUSE OF THE
GENERAL LACK OF SPACE IN THE TERRITORY. COURSES WILL BE BASED ON
A CORE CURRICULUM DEVISED BY UNHCR. THE MAIN SUBJECTS WILL BE
ENGLISH, VIETNAMESE AND MATHEMATICS, SUPPLEMENTED BY OPTIONAL
SUBJECTS SUCH AS SOCIAL STUDIES, HEALTH EDUCATION, ARTS AND
CRAFTS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND MUSIC.
4.
THIS SYSTEM ALREADY OPERATES SUCCESSFULLY, UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF THE SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND, AT THE NEWLY OPENED
BOWRING CLOSED CENTRE, AND WILL SOON BE EXTENDED TO ALL THE
CLOSED CAMPS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
THE PRESENT POSITION AT INDIVIDUAL CAMPS IS AS FOLLOWS:
A)
AT THE CHI MA WAN CLOSED CENTRE, THE SALVATION ARMY AT
PRESENT PROVIDES EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF A HEAD TEACHER EMPLOYED BY THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THIS RESPONSIBILITY WILL SHORTLY BE
TAKEN OVER BY THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SERVICE
(HKISS). (THE SALVATION ARMY WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDED
OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES WITHIN THE CENTRE.) HKISS PLANS TO
PROVIDE EDUCATION ON A 4 HOUR, BI-SESSIONAL BASIS, FROM
SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.
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