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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1977
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO MEET PRESENT DAY REQUIREMENTS ******
HONG KONG'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS BEING MOULDED TO MEET PRESENT DAY REQUIREMENTS OF WHICH ECONOMIC NEEDS AND RISING SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPIRATIONS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR. ERIC HO SAID THIS MORNING.
+ IT IS THEREFORE MY VIEW THAT IN MOVING TOWARDS A MORE QUALITATIVE FORM OF EDUCATION WE MUST AIM TO PRODUCE THE KIND OF CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE PERSON WHO WILL NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO MEET THE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF SOCIETY BUT WILL, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, BE ABLE TO COPE WITH SUCH AN ACCELERATED PACE OF CHANGE,+ MR. HO SAID AT THE OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION OF PUPILS' WORK IN DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE KOWLOON RAILWAY STATION AT HUNG HOM.
HONG KONG'S SURVIVAL, HE SAID, VERY MUCH DEPENDED ON ITS ECONOMIC SUCCESS.
+AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF INTELLECTUAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ABILITY IN THE FIELD OF DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION IN ORDER TO COMPETE IN THE MODERN WORLD,+ MR. HO SAID.
HE BELIEVED THAT THE NEW SUBJECT, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, WHICH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN DEVELOPING OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WOULD CONTRIBUTE A GREAT DEAL TOWARDS PRODUCING CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE PUPILS WHO COULD COPE WITH AN ACCELERATED PACE OF CHANGE.
MR. HO POINTED OUT THAT THE SUBJECT WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE STUDENTS THINK AND PLAN WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THEM SUFFICIENT MANUAL DEXTERITY TO PRODUCE THE FRUITS OF THE IR PLANNING IN CONCRETE FORM.
+ IT EMPHASISES PROBLEM SOLVING, THE NATURE OF MATERIALS AND THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TO MEET DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND MATERIALS.
+SO FAR THIS NEW SUBJECT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED INTO 42 SECONDARY SCHOOLS. WOODWORK AND METAL-WORK OF OLD, WHICH USED TO BE THE STANDARD PRACTICAL SUBJECTS IN OUR SCHOOLS ARE ON THE WAY OUT, + MR. HO SAID,
MORE THAN 100 TEACHERS HAVE BEEN RE-TRAINED THROUGH IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES TO TEACH THE SUBJECT.
LAST YEAR, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY WAS EXAMINED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION LEVEL.
/MR. HO