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WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1977
WOMEN'S IMPORTANT ROLE IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION STRESSED
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+WOMEN HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE SHAPING OF AN EDUCATION SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION TO GENERAL EDUCATION, MR. ANDREW KINGWELL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, TOLD THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE SOROPTIMIST CLUB TODAY.
MR. KINGWELL, WHO IS THE ADVISER ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION, SAID THAT WOMEN WERE MORE INFLUENTIAL IN THE HOME THAN MEN AND COULD INFLUENCE AND ADVISE THEIR CHILDREN ON THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT + INDUSTRY NEEDS WOMEN AT ALL LEVELS IN INCREASING NUMBERS AS THERE ARE MANY EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE WELL-TRAINED AND EDUCATED GIRL SCHOOL LEAVERS AND WOMEN GRADUATES.+
WOMEN, HE SAID, COULD DO MUCH +TO HELP IN A NUMBER OF SUBTLE WAYS TO COMBAT SOCIAL PREJUDICE AND THE INSATIABLE DEMAND FOR WHITE-COLLAR JOBS FROM SCHOOL LEAVERS. THERE SHOULD NO LONGER BE A FEELING OF FAMILY DISGRACE IF THE IR SONS TAKE UP BLUE-COLLAR OCCUPATION ALSO WOMEN CAN HELP BREAK DOWN THE TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES WHICH MUST PREVENT MANY WOMEN FROM FOLLOWING A WORTHWHILE CAREER IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.+
ALL COURSES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES RUN BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ARE AVAILABLE TO GIRLS OR YOUNG WOMEN.
BUT, HE SAID, THE AVAILABILITY OF TECHNICAL SUBJECTS FOR GIRLS IN SCHOOLS WHICH HAD FACILITIES WERE DEPENDENT UPON TWO MAIN FACTORS - PARENTAL AND PUPIL CHOICE AS WELL AS ORGANISATIONAL PROBLEMS.
+I AM SURE, HOWEVER, THE DIFFICULTIES IN SOLVING THE SECOND PROBLEM WOULD BE OVERCOME BY THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES PROVIDED THERE IS SUFFICIENT PRESSURE FROM THE PARENTS AND PUPILS, THUS ONCE AGAIN WE SEE THAT THE WOMEN OF HONG KONG, MOTHERS AND THE IR DAUGHTERS, HAVE A GREAT PART TO PLAY IF THEY WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS, MR. KINGWELL SAID.
TO APPRECIATE THE VAST RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF BOTH SEXES IN THE TECHNICAL FIELD, IT WAS NECESSARY TO STUDY THE LIST OF DISCIPLINES COVERED BY THE FOUR EXISTING TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE POLYTECHNIC.
+THERE ARE 15 DEPARTMENTS LISTED IN THE LATEST POLYTECHNIC PROSPECTUS AND SOME OF THEM ARE MULTI-DISCIPLINED AND MORE ARE PLANNED, TECHNICAL SUBJECTS WILL BE TAUGHT IN ELEVEN DEPARTMENTS IN THE FOUR TECHNICAL INSTITUTES BY THIS SEPTEMBER, MR. KINGWELL SAID.
TECHNICAL SUBJECTS ARE NOW BEING TAUGHT AT ALL LEVELS IN SOME SCHOOLS AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE CURRICULUM. MORE WILL BE DONE IN THIS DIRECTION QUITE SOON IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY LAID DOWN IN THE 1974 WHITE PAPER.
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/TEACHERS HAVE