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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1975
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW SIXTH FORM EDUCATION
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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, IS PUTTING IN TRAIN A CAREFUL REVIEW OF SIXTH FORM EDUCATION ITS AIMS AND CONTENT.
ANNOUNCING THIS AT THE SPEECH DAY OF ST. STEPHEN'S GIRLS' COLLEGE THIS EVENING, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT SIXTH FORMS SHOULD PROPERLY BE SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST CLASSES IN WHICH TO STUDY TO PASS THE MATRICULATION EXAMINATION FOR UNIVERSITY ENTRY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO THE PRINCIPAL OF ST. STEPHEN'S, MISS KAY BARKER, WHO HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF SIXTH FORM EDUCATION IN HER ANNUAL REPORT.
THE PROBLEM OF EXCESSIVE EMPHASIS ON ACADEMIC SUBJECTS IN THE SIXTH FORM WAS NOT A NEW ONE AND WAS IN MANY WAYS THE RESULT OF PUBLIC DEMAND.
+ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS SEEN AS THE AVENUE TO SUCCESS. MANY EDUCATIONISTS HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CHANGE PUBLIC OPINION AND TO ENCOURAGE NEW, MORE REALISTIC ASPIRATIONS WHICH WILL BE MORE IN KLEPING WITH THE WORLD AS IT IS,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
THERE HAD ALSO BEEN CONSTANT COMPLAINTS FROM THE SCHOOLS ABOUT THE DISTORTING EFFECTS OF THE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS OF LOCAL UNIVERSITIES UPON THE SCHOOL CURRICULA,
LIKE MISS BARKER, THE DIRECTOR SAID HE TOO WAS HEARTENED BY DR. RAYSON HUANG'S ADDRESS AT THE RECENT CONGREGATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
+IT IS MOST ENCOURAGING THAT DR. HUANG IS SO AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THE PROBLEMS IT CREATES. I HOPE THAT DR. HUANG'S REMARKS WILL LEAD, AS I AM CONFIDENT HE INTENDED THEM TO DO, IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO MOŘE CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE SCHOOLS SO THAT SIXTH FORM EDUCATION CAN BE RE-EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF PRESENT NEEDS,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
THE DIRECTOR AGREED WITH MISS BARKER AND DR. HUANG THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A WIDENING OF THE RANGE OF SUBJECTS OFFERED AND A BREAK-AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL +ACADEMIC+ COURSES.
IN SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A COMPLEX ONE, MR. TOPLEY CALLED FOR A DEGREE OF CAUTION.
+REMOVING UNDUE INFLUENCE ON SCHOOL CURRICULA BY UNIVERSITIES IS ONE THING. INTRODUCING GENERAL OR VOCATIONAL STUDIES IN PLACE OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF FAIRLY INTENSE STUDY OF A SMALL GROUP OF ACADEMIC SUBJECTS IS QUITE ANOTHER.
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/+THE SYSTEM