WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1977
1977
13
HE EMPHASISED THAT HE DID NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER RELATING TO THE MENTALLY RETARDED AS HE DID NOT CONSIDER THEY REPRESENT ANY GENUINE ATTEMPT ON GOVERNMENT'S PART TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM+.
MR. LO PINPOINTED FOUR REASONS ON WHICH HIS DISAPPROVAL WAS BASED:
*
THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACHIEVE BY 1985/86 THE +MISERABLE AND
PATHETIC+ TARGET OF A SHORTFALL OF 9,388 SCHOOL PLACES FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED=
THE WORKING GROUP'S FAILURE IN ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE IN THE GREEN PAPER THE ANNUAL SHORTFALL OF SPECIALLY TRAINED TEACHERS=
* THE RESHUFFLING OF GOVERNMENT MACHINERY, AS IMPLIED BY
THE WORKING GROUP, BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE AND
*
THE WORKING GROUP'S FAILURE IN DIAGNOSING WHY THERE IS A +SHAMEFUL+ SHORTFALL OF 18,236 SCHOOL PLACES FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED.
+UNLESS THE FORCES AT WORK IN GOVERNMENT WHICH PRODUCED THIS DEPLORABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS ARE DETECTED AND NEUTRALISED, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY EVERY CHANCE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL REMAIN A PROBLEM DEALT WITH ONLY ON PAPER, WHATEVER ITS COLOUR,+ MR, LO STRESSED.
IN THE VIEW OF REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT, THE WEAKNESS OF THE GREEN PAPER LAY IN THE FACT THAT THE TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT OF PERSONNEL WERE NOT CLEARLY SPELT OUT.
SHE FELT THAT TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS FOR THE DISABLED AND THE HANDICAPPED SHOULD RECEIVE TRAINING, ON A REGULAR BAS IS, IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION INSTEAD OF RELYING, AS AT PRESENT, ON
IN-SERVICE COURSES RUN BY THE SPECIAL SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE EXTRA-MURAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE UNIVERSITES.
+A PROPER SYSTEM MUST BE DRAWN UP SO THAT ALL TEACHERS CAN HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE OPENINGS AVAIALBLE TO THEM,+ SHE SAID.
MISS BENNETT ALSO SAW THE NEED FOR MORE SPECIALIST STAFF LIKE OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPISTS TO BE TRAINED LOCALLY.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT LACK OF A CODE OF AID FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS HAD CREATED DIFFICULTIES IN THE STAFFING OF THESE SCHOOLS.
ON SCREENING OF CHILDREN FOR DEFECTS IN SIGHT AND HEARING, MISS BENNETT THOUGHT SUCH SCREENING SHOULD TAKE PLACE AT A YOUNGER AGE THAN ENVISAGED BY THE GREEN PAPER.
/REFLYING