WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1974
UNOFFICIALS CONCERNED OVER FUTURE OF SCHOOL DROPOUTS
CRASH PROGRAMME FOR OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING URGED
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THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN TODAY CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE A CRASH PROGRAMME OF OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING AND TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNGSTERS FAILING TO RECEIVE SECONDARY EDUCATION.
LEADING AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON +PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS WHO CANNOT ENTER SECONDARY SCHOOLS,+ MR. CHEONG-LEEN EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN OVER THE ISSUE WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS +A MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM HAVING TO DO WITH LAW AND ORDER AND THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE.+
HE STRESSED THAT WITH THE UPSURGE IN VIOLENT CRIME AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, COUPLED WITH INFLATION AND RISING PRICES, IT WOULD SEEN ONLY PRUDENT THAT +UE DEFINE OUR MAJOR PRIORITIES THIS YEAR TO INCLUDE THE CARING FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CANNOT CONTINUE THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION BUT WHO ARE SO HEARTLESSLY EXPOSED TO ILLEGAL INFLUENCES WHICH HILL TURN THEM INTO CRIMINALS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY.+
THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION WOULD BE THE PROVISION OF THREE YEARS OF UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION. BUT HE SAID THIS POSSIBILITY HAS STILL MANY YEARS AWAY.
AS AN INTERIN MEASURE, HE PROPOSED A CRASH PROGRAMME IN THE SETTING UP OF OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING COURSES FOR THOSE PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS WHO WISHED TO CONTINUE SCHOOLING, BUT COULD NOT FIND A SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACE.
THESE COURSES COULD BE ORGANISED IN EACH C.D.O. DISTRICT, IN UNDER-UTILISED CLASS-ROOMS AND WORK-SHOPS, IN COMMUNITY AND YOUTH CENTRES, IN KAIFONG ASSOCIATION PREMISES, AND OTHER SUITABLE PLACES.
*THE COURSES SHOULD BE FULL-TIME DURING THE DAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT WORKING SO AS TO KEEP THEM OFF THE STREETS, AND AT NIGHT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DAY-TIME JOBS. THE CURRICULUM WILL HAVE TO BE A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN GENERAL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, IN ORDER TO MINIMISE LOSS OF NTEREST HALF-WAY DURING THE COURSES. THE FEES TO ATTEND THESE COURSES SHOULD BE REASONABLE, BUT PROVISION OUGHT TO BE MADE FOR A FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF FEE REMISSION FOR DESERVING CASES,+ HE SUGGESTED.
FOR YOUNGSTERS WHO WILL NOT BE CONTINUING THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION AT ALL, MR. CHEONG-LEEN ENVISAGED THE FULL-SCALE MOBILISATION OF THE RECREATIONAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES WITHIN EACH G.D.0. DISTRICT, AIMING TO KEEP THEM INVOLVED IN MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY AND AWAY FROM THE INFLUENCE OF TRIAD GANGS AND OTHER CRIMINAL ELEMENTS.
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/H: FELT