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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1975
SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS
PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN EDUCATION
******
HONG KONG CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST TECHNICAL EDUCATION, MR. ANDREW KINGWELL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), SAID TODAY WHEN HE OPENED THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE SECOND IN-SERVICE COURSE ON DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY.
+IT IS HEARTENING TO REMEMBER THAT THE 1974 WHITE PAPER STIPULATED THAT THERE SHOULD DE A STRONG PRACTICAL/TECHNICAL ELEMENT IN ALL SECONDARY EDUCATION IN FORM 1 TO 3,+ HE SAID.
+ALL WE NEED IS THE MONEY TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES LAID
DOWN."
MR. KINGWELL NOTED THAT SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS WERE PLAYING AND WOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN EDUCATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE CONTINUED, SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS WERE STILL CONSIDERED A SECOND CHOICE IN THE MINDS OF MANY PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
+THIS REINFORCES PARENTS' INCLINATION TO REGARD PRACTICAL OR TECHNICAL SUBJECTS AS INFERIOR TO ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. THIS ATTITUDE IS NOT CONFINED TO HONG KONG.
+HOWEVER THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ECONOMIC TERMS DURING THE POST-WAR PERIOD SUCH AS JAPAN,
THE UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND, WEST GERMANY, ETC., HAVE INVESTED VERY HEAVILY IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND FURTHER SOME ARE PREPARED TO BACK THEIR BELIEFS BY APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION,+ MR. KINGWELL POINTED OUT.
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR SAID THAT WHEN CONSIDERING THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES FOR SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG, THERE MUST BE A PHILOSOPHY WHICH VALUED EQUALLY BOTH TECHNICAL SKILLS AND SCHOLARSHIP.
+IN THIS WAY BOYS AND GIRLS CAN BE PROVIDED WITH AN INTEGRATED SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. ALL SCHOOLS SHOULD DEVELOP THE MINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN INNOVATE, INVENT AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.
+IT IS NECESSARY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THE TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD IN WHICH THEY ARE LIVING. THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH A CURRICULUM WHICH INCLUDES THE ARTS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT TOGETHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CONSTITUTE A UNIFIED EXPERIENCE,+ MR. KINGWELL SAID.
HE APPEALED TO THE TEACHERS ATTENDING THE IN-SERVICE COURSE TO HELP TRANSLATE SUCH A PHILOSOPHY INTO PRACTICE.
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