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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1974
ACTIVITY APPROACH SCHEME IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS PROGRESSING WELL DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION BEGINS TOUR OF SCHOOLS AND OFFICES
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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, IS PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS BEING MADE IN THE PILOT SCHEME ON ACTIVITY APPROACH IN SIX CHINESE PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
+THE FACT THAT MORE PRIMARY PUPILS ARE ENJOYING THEIR LESSONS IN AN INFORMAL CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE IS VERY ENCOURAGING INDEED,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID TODAY WHEN HE VISITED ONE OF THE SIX PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AT THE BEGINNING OF A TOUR OF EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND BRANCH OFFICES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
IT IS THE DIRECTOR'S INTENTION TO SPEND TWO HALF DAYS A WEEK TO SEE FOR HIMSELF THE DEVELOPMENTS BEING MADE IN THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.
AT THE CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL THE HEADMASTER OF THE P.M. SESSION, MR. OSWALD S.L. LIH, TOLD HIM THAT SIX EXPERIENTAL CLASSES IN THE SCHOOL TUO CLASSES EACH OF PRIMARY 1, 2 AND 3 WERE USING THE ACTIVITY APPROACH SCHENE.
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MR. LIM STRESSED THAT THE ROLE OF THE TEACHERS IN THE SE CLASSES WAS MORE THAT OF A FRIEND HELPING THE PUPILS TO FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES RATHER THAN A MERE INSTRUCTOR FEEDING THEM WITH FACTS.
THE SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED BY THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
NOW IN SEPTEMBER 1972 WITH EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES IN PRIMARY 1 ONLY. IT IS IN ITS THIRD YEAR AND IT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO PRIMARY 3.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE 57 EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES IN THE SIX SCHOOLS - 21 CLASSES OF PRIMARY 1, 20 CLASSES OF PRIMARY 2 AND 16 CLASSES OF PRIMARY 3. FOUR OF THE SCHOOLS ARE GOVERNMENT, ONE IS SUBSIDIZED AND ONE IS PRIVATE.
THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF PUPILS THROUGH LEARNING BY DOING IS ENCOURAGED IN THESE EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES WHERE PUPILS ARE GIVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT.
MR. LIM INFORMED THE DIRECTOR THAT THERE WERE 355 PUPILS IN HIS SCHOOL FROM PRIMARY 1 TO 6 AND A SPECIAL CLASS CATERING MAINLY FOR CHILDREN AGED SEVEN TO NINE WHO NEEDED SPECIAL GUIDANCE.
ANOTHER 425 PUPILS WERE ATTENDING THE A.M. SESSION UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A HEADMISTRESS, MRS. FUNG MOK YAN-LAN.
MR. TOPLEY SPOKE TO MANY OF THE PUPILS IN CANTONESE AND ASKED THEM HOW THEY WERE GETTING ALONG IN THEIR STUDIES.
/FROM CANTON
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