1
N
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1974
AIRING A FEW THOUGHTS ON +THE HIDEOUS SUBJECT OF EXAMINATIONS, + MR. BOARD SAID THAT THIS YEAR IN HONG KONG BETWEEN 200,000 AND A QUARTER OF A MILLION CANDIDATES WOULD TAKE VARIOUS PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS.
+IF WE ADD ON THE PARENTS WHO ENCOURAGE AND PAY FOR THEM, THE TEACHERS WHO PREPARE AND INVIGILATE THEM, AND THE EXAMINERS WHO ASSESS THEM, OVER TEN PER CENT OF THE POPULATION IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED, OR SOMETHING LIKE ONE IN SIX IF WE EXCLUDE THE YOUNG AND THE ELDERLY.+
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SAID: IT IS CLEAR THAT A SOCIETY WHICH IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, HIGHLY ACQUISITIVE, AND BASICALLY » LAISSEZ-FAIRE, AND WHICH HAS AROUND 100,000 YOUNG PERSONS PER YEAR-GROUP, NEEDS SOME IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENT OR +POTENTIAL- INDICATOR+.
HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT IF EXAMINATIONS LOOM LARGER ON THE LOCAL SCENE THAN THEY DID 50 YEARS AGO, THAT IS A REFLECTION OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND POPULATION CHANGES, NOT OF ANY MACHINATIONS OR OBSESSIONS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.+
MR. BOARD SAID HE COULD NOT FORESEE IN THE HONG KONG OF THE 1970'S A REAL FADING AWAY OF EXAMINATIONS GENERALLY, DESIRABLE AS THAT MAY BE.
COMMENDATIONS FOR PRISONS OFFICERS
******
TWELVE OFFICERS OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION THIS SATURDAY CAPRIL 200 IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN THE COURSE OF THEIR DUTIES.
THE RECIPIENTS, INCLUDING A WOMAN OFFICER, COMPRISE FIVE ASSISTANT OFFICERS CLASS 11, TWO ASSISTANT OFFICERS CLASS 1, A SCHOOL MASTER AND A CADET OFFICER AS WELL AS THREE OFFICERS.
THEY WILL RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATES FROM THE ACTING DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR. JAMES CALDWELL AT THE STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE, STANLEY,
NOTE TO EDITORS:
THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY WILL BE HELD AT 11 A.M. ON SATURDAY AT THE STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT IN STANLEY. YOU ARE INVITED TO HAVE IT COVERED.