THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1978
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DR. HUANG SAID IT SHOULD ALSO BE RECOGNIZED THAT IF THE JUNIOR CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION IS NOT TO BE INSTITUTED, AS NOW SEEMS LIKELY
AS NOW SEEMS LIKELY, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH RELIABLE MEANS BY WHICH THE APTITUDE OF THE PUPILS CAN BE ASSESSED, AND NOT MERELY HAVE THIS DONE THROUGH INTERNAL SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS. THIS IMPLIES THE NEED FOR STUDENT COUNSELLORS AS WELL AS TEACHERS TRAINED TO TEACH A CURRICULUM IN WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AND NOT THE EXAMINATION, IS THE GOAL.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, THROUGH THE PROVISION OF TRAINED PERSONNEL AND GREATER INVESTMENT IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVED SCHOOL AMENITIES, AND THE REMOVAL OF PRESSURE IN OUR CROWDED CLASSROOM, WE WILL, HOPEFULLY, BE ABLE TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OFFERED TO OUR YOUNG,
DR. HUANG SAID IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT DIFFICULTIES ARE BEING ENCOUNTERED BY GOVERNMENT IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINED PERSONNEL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS GROWING SCHEMES FOR EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE. FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES IN THE RECRUITMENT OF STAFF FOR THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES DURING 1977-78, WHILE GOVERNMENT'S EXPANDING SOCIAL WELFARE PLANS ALSO REQUIRE A HIGH INPUT OF SKILLED STAFF WHICH WILL TAKE TIME TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN IN THE NUMBERS REQUIRED. HE ASKED THAT ACTIVE MEASURES BE TAKEN TO FULLY UTILISE THE LOCAL RESOURCES IN THE TRAINING OF PERSONNEL.
IN CONCLUSION, DR. HUANG THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD USE THE 280 MILLION, PROPOSED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR FREE EDUCATION AT THE LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL, TO BEGIN TO REMOVE THE BOTTLENECK BETWEEN FORMS I AND IV. ENSURING AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE EDUCATION PROVIDED IS OF ACCEPTABLE STANDARD THROUGH THE ADEQUATE PROVISION OF TRAINED PERSONNEL. ONLY WHEN THESE NEEDS HAVE BEEN MET SHOULD WE CONTEMPLATE FREE EDUCATION AT THE LOWER SECONDARY LEVEL, HE SAID.
PLEA TO IMPROVE SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES
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UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG, TODAY APPEALED TO THE GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MORE ON THE VARIOUS SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SO AS TO RAISE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AREAS.
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. YEUNG SAID THAT WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES AND AMENITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MUCH MORE HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE ITS QUALITY OF LIFE COULD MATCH THAT NOW ENJOYED BY URBAN DWELLERS.
/R. YEUIG