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SECONDARY SCHOOLS URGED TO MAKE
POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS TO E.D.
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THE RETIRING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (ADMINISTRATION), MR. CHARLES LOWE, TODAY CALLED ON SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE COMMON CORE COURSE AND MAKE POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WITHOUT FEEDBACK NOTHING CAN SUCCEED OR BE IMPROVED AND THE SCHOOLS MUST SUPPLY IT,+ MR. LOWE TOLD THE GATHERING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF ST. PAUL'S CONVENT SCHOOL.
THE NEW SYLLABUSES WOULD NEED A GREAT DEAL OF MODIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT.
IN STATING THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD AIM AT MORE CURRICULAR AUTONOMY, MR. LOWE SAID IT IS THERE FOR THE ASKING AVAILABLE ON DEMAND. THESE REMARKS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMMON CORE COURSE. THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR BELIEF THAT THE TRADITIONAL THREE-YEAR JUNIOR MIDDLE COURSE AND TWO-YEAR SENIOR MIDDLE COURSE TO WHICH WE HAVE REVERTED MAY NOT BE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL DECISION.+
PERSONALLY, MR. LOWE PREFERRED A TWO-YEAR JUNIOR AND A THREE-YEAR SENIOR COURSE. HE WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT SCHOOLS WHICH PREFERRED TO TAKE THE COMMON CORE FOR TWO YEARS.
BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT +OTHER EDUCATIONISTS WANT A FIVE-YEAR PRIMARY AND A FOUR NOT FIVE-YEAR SECONDARY COURSE FOR ALL. THIS GETS OVER THE JUNIOR CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION HURDLE.+
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR STATED THAT THE WORKING PARTY ON THE ABOLITION OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION HAD COMPLETED ITS REPORT AND HE HOPED IT WOULD GO TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SOON FOR CONSIDERATION, AND APPROVAL TO PUBLICISE.
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+ INFORMED AND COMMON REACTION IS ESSENTIAL TO EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS. IN MY VIEW, IT IS ILLOGICAL TO ABOLISH S.S.E.E. WHICH SERIOUSLY DAMAGED THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE PRIMARY COURSE IF ONLY TO REPLACE IT WITH J.C.E. WHICH IS LIKELY TO RUIN THREE YEARS OF THE JUNIOR MIDDLE COURSE AND IMPOSE AN INTOLERABLE BURDEN ON CHILDREN AT A CRUCIAL STAGE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
+THE J.C.E. MAY INDEED HAVE A BACKLASH AS DOES MATRICULATION.
WHAT THE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG RECENTLY SAID WAS ENTIRELY CORRECT. THE PLAIN FACT IS THAT THE 6TH FORMS SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT CATER JUST FOR POTENTIAL UNIVERSITY ENTRANTS.
+THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT MAKE THE 6TH FORMS A KIND OF ANTE-CHAMBER TO THE FACULTIES NOR SHOULD THE UNIVERSITY EXPECT 6TH FORMS TO CARRY OUT UNIVERSITY LEVEL WORK FOR THEM. IF WE HAD THE IMAGINATION TO DEPART FROM SLAVISHLY COPYING U.K. PRACTICE, WE COULD HAVE MORE GENERAL AND LESS NARROW 6TH FORM COURSES,+ HE SAID.
/MR. LOWE
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