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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1974-
SECONDARY CURRICULUM TO BE RE-ARRANGED
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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON CHANGES IN SECONDARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE
OF EDUCATION, AS THE WHITE PAPER COMES TO FRUITION, THE DIRECTOR
MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE KOWLOON LIONS CLUB TODAY.
HE ADDED, HOWEVER IT IS CLEAR THAT CONSTANT REAPPRAISAL AND RENEWAL WILL BE REQUIRED IN THIS AREA TO PROVIDE THE SUBSTAN- TIAL RE-ARRANGEMENT AND GREATER LIVELINESS WHICH WE SHALL NEED IN OUR FUTURE CURRICULUM.+
MR. TOPLEY SAID THE INFLUENCES OF PARENTS, CHILDREN, SOCIETY AT LARGE AND TEACHERS +HAVE TENDED TO THROW THE
CURRICULUM INTO A PARTICULAR FORM AND HAVE CREATED THE PRESENT DIVISION INTO ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, RECREATION SUBJECTS AND PRACTICAL SUBJECTS.+
ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, HE EXPLAINED, WERE INFLUENCED TO SOME EXTENT BY THE STANDARDS SET BY THE UNIVERSITIES.
RECREATIONAL SUBJECTS LIKE MUSIC, ART AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION HAVE BEEN SEEN AS PROVIDING PUPILS WITH THE KIND OF REST THEY NEEDED FROM THEIR LABOURS IN THE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS IN ORDER TO PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING STALE, BORED AND UNHAPPY, PRACTICAL SUBJECTS - METALWORK, WOODWORK AND DOMESTIC SCIENCE - REFLECTED THE INFLUENCES OF SOCIETY WHICH WANTED THEM ALL TO BE PRACTICAL.
MR. TOPLEY NOTED THAT IN THE PAST SECONDARY EDUCATION WAS FOR THE MINORITY, WITH SECONDARY SCHOOLS ADMITTING ONLY THE TOP
+IN THE FUTURE OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS HALF OF THE ABILITY RANGE. WILL ADMIT THE FULL ABILITY AND SOCIAL RANGE AND WE MUST THINK AGAIN THE CLASSICAL DIVISION OF THE CURRICULUM, HE SAID.
WHILE HE THOUGHT IT TOO EARLY TO PRODUCE A NEW CLASSIFICATION, HE STRESSED THAT +WE MUST CERTAINLY MAKE MASSIVE CHANGES IN THE CURRICULUM AND THE STYLE OF OUR TEACHING IF WE ARE TO DO WELL BY THE MASS OF NEW ENTRANTS TO OUR SECONDARY EDUCATION.+
THIS MEANT FIRST MAKING THE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS MORE REAL, MORE PRACTICAL THORUGH AN INTRODUCTION OF THE ACTIVITY APPROACH METHOD.
RECREATIONAL SUBJECTS COULD ALSO BE RE-THOUGHT WHILE PRACTICAL SUBJECTS COULD BE BROADENED AND IMPROVED BY MAKING THEM LESS MENIAL AND GIVING THEM MORE OF +A PROBLEM SOLVING SLANT+.
/REFERRING TO ...............