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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1978
THESE PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR MANY YEARS TRIED TO RUN EFFICIENTLY AND GIVE FAIR TREATMENT TO THE IR STAFF AS REGARDS SALARY AND TERMS OF SERVICE BUT ARE CONTINUALLY LOSING THEM TO THE AIDED AND GOVERNMENT SECTORS.
THIS HAS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PER CAPUT SCHOOLS, SHE SAID. THE TEACHERS IN PER CAPUT PRIVATE NON-PROFIT MAKING SCHOOLS CANNOT BE PAID A SALARY CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT SATISFACTORY.
AS TO TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR THE NEW JUNIOR SECONDARY CLASSES, MISS BENNETT POINTED OUT THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY PROVISION TO EXPAND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, NEITHER IN SIZE NOR IN RANK, NEXT YEAR.
SHE SAID HONG KONG CANNOT AFFORD, IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF OUR ECONOMY AND DIVERSIFY OUR INDUSTRY, TO RELY ON HAVING SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN EDUCATED AT SECONDARY LEVEL .BY UNTRAINED TEACHERS.
+THERE HAS BEEN MUCH HIGH-SOUNDING TALK OF AN IMPROVE JUNIOR SECONDARY CURRICULUM, WITH MORE EMPHASIS ON PRACTICAL SUBJECTS. UNTRAINED TEACHERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW CURRICULUM. UNTRAINED TEACHERS TEACH ONLY IN THE WAY THEY WERE TAUGHT THEMSELVES,+ SHE EXPLAINED.
SHE QUOTED THE CASE OF AN UNTRAINED REGISTERED TEACHER WHO COMPLAINED TO UMELCO ABOUT BEING REFUSED ADMISSION TO AN IN-SERVICE COURSE. THE REASON FOR THE REFUSAL WAS BECAUSE THE COURSE WAS FILLED VERY EASILY WITH OTHERS WITH BETTER QUALIFICATIONS, SO THAT THAT TEACHER WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TEACH WITHOUT TRAINING IN A SCHOOL WHICH IS GIVEN SOME AID BY THE GOVERNMENT AND WHERE THE CHILDREN RECEIVE BOUGHT PLACES.
+WHAT NONSENSE THAT MAKES OF HIGH-SOUNDING STATEMENTS ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO BE MADE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION,+ SHE SAID.
ON THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE, MISS BENNETT POINTED OUT THAT NO EXPANSION HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR THIS IN THE COMING YEAR.
+THIS CONTRADICTS THE PROMISE OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THAT PROVISION WAS BEING MADE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREEN PAPERS IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD, SHE SAID.
ALTHOUGH THE GREEN PAPERS WOULD BE DEBATED IN DETAIL LATER, +SUFFICE IT TO SAY NOW THAT COMMUNITY NURSES CANNOT APPEAR OVERNIGHT TO SERVE THE ELDERLY AND INF IRM.+
SHE SAID SHE WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE DURING THE CURRENT THREE-YEAR TRIAL PERIOD, BUT ON FURTHER ENQUIRY LEARNED THAT ABOUT 20 NURSES WOULD BE TRAINED THIS SUMMER TO PERMIT A MODICUM OF EXPANSION DURING THE FORTHCOMING YEAR.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT A NURSE HAS THE HEAVY JOB OF VISITING EIGHT TO TEN PATIENTS IN ONE DAY. THE NURSE ALSO PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE FOR THE PATIENTS FAR MORE CHEAPLY THAN IF THEY WERE IN HOSPITAL, AT $20 A VISIT, COMPARED WITH $140 FOR A HOSPITAL BED A DAY.
/+PATLEY'S