2
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1976
PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL WELL-BEING OF FISHERMEN'S CHILDREN
****
THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY TODAY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION AND THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND RESOURCES TO PROMOTE THE EDUCATIONAL WELL-BEING OF AN IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG THE FISHERFOLK,
HE WAS ADDRESSING THE JOINT GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 13 FISHERMEN'S CHILDREN SCHOOLS AT THE CITY HALL CONCERT HALL.
+IN A WAY, THIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS IS UNIQUE AS THEY ARE SOLELY DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF FISHERMEN'S CHILDREN AND IN FACT THE F.M.O. CONSIDERS ITS EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS AS PART OF ITS SERVICE TO THE FISHING COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT THIS GROUP OF 12 PRIMARIES AND ONE SECONDARY PRACTICAL SCHOOL HAD A TOTAL ENROLMENT OF OVER 4,000,
IN ADDITION OVER 40 FISHERMEN'S CHILDREN WERE ATTENDING OTHER PRIMARY SCHOOLS ON F.M.O. SCHOLARSHIPS.
REFERRING TO THE REPORT ON THE F.M.O. SCHOOLS, MR. TOPLEY DESCRIBED THE PROMOTION OF ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM AS +ONE INTERESTING AND USEFUL ASPECT OF THEIR WORK.+
HE SAID: +1 AM PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY THE ORGANISATION OF THE ANNUAL SUMMER CAMP WHICH IS NORMALLY HELD AT WU KWAI SHA.
+ I UNDERSTAND IT IS A MASSIVE EXERCISE IN WHICH OVER 700 CHILDREN FROM ALL THE F.M.O. SCHOOLS TAKE PART - AN ACTIVITY WHICH GIVES THEM A FEELING OF TOGETHERNESS WHILE INDULGING IN SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL PURSUITS.+
THE DIRECTOR THEN SWITCHED TO CANTONESE AND SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD MANNERS BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL,
HE GAVE SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES TO SHOW HOW THIS QUALITY COULD BE INCULCATED IN SCHOOL.
+THE EMPHASIS IN CULTIVATING GOOD MANNERS IS ON PRACTICE
RATHER THAN PRECEPT, HE SAID.
SAYING A FEW WORDS TO PARENTS IN HONG KONG'S FISHING COMMUNITY, MR. TOPLEY SAID: I KNOW THEY HAVE TO GO OUT TO SEA WITH THE FISHING FLEET BUT I HOPE THEY WILL ALSO SEE THE VALUE OF GIVING THEIR CHILDREN A BASIC GENERAL EDUCATION.
+ IT IS IMPORTANT, THEREFORE, FOR THEM TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO A PRIMARY SCHOOL AT THE RIGHT AGE AND TO ENSURE REGULAR ATTENDANCE.
+ONLY THEN CAN THEIR CHILDREN BENEFIT FULLY FROM THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED.+
13