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WEDNESDAY, HOVILEER 1, 1978
SHE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF SEARCHING FOR THE CORRECT BALANCE OF FREEDOM AND CONTROL. +TO REMOVE ALL INITIATIVE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE DIFFERENT WOULD DOWNGRADE ALL AIDED SCHOOLS TO A CATEGORY OF SCHOOL INFERIOR TO AND UNABLE TO COMPETE WITH GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, SHE SAID.
SHE NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS A STATED POLICY OF FREE EDUCATION, CHILDREN WHO RECEIVE THIS EDUCATION STILL HAVE TO BUY THE IR OWN TEXTBOOKS AND STATIONERY UNLESS THEY ARE POOR AND IN PRIMARY SCHOOL OR THE IR PARENTS ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
MOST SCHOOLS ALSO REQUIRE SOME FORM OF SCHOOL UNIFORM WHICH IS NOT FREE. BECAUSE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ABOLITION OF TONG FAI IN FORMS I TO 11 COULD NOT BE MADE IN TIME FOR THE PRESENT SCHOOL YEAR, CHILDREN IN AIDED SCHOOLS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO PAY THIS SUBSCRIPTION.
MISS BENNETT ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO EMPLOY MORE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS TO TEST SLOW-LEARNING CHILDREN AND TO DISCOVER THE REASONS FOR THE IR SLOWNESS.
AT THE MOMENT ONLY 220 SLOW-LEARNERS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE OR 3.3 PER CENT OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SLOW-LEARNER POPULATION ARE ACCOMMODATED IN SPECIAL CLASSES. THE PERCENTAGE OF SLOW-LEARNERS IN EACH AGE GROUP HOWEVER MAY WELL BE 13 PER CENT.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE AMONG THE SLOW-LEARNING CHINESE CHILDREN AND HOPED THAT THE UNIVERSITIES WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THE IR DISABILITIES IN LEARNING THE CHINESE LANGUAGE.
MISS BENNETT WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF TEACHING THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE SCRIPT IN HONG KONG WHICH IS NOT USED AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
SHE HOPED TO BE ASSURED THAT THE EXPERTS IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ARE ACTIVELY RESEARCHING INTO THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE, TOGETHER WITH A STUDY OF WHY CHILDREN ARE SLOW IN LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
SPEAK ING FROM HER EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER CHILD-CARE CENTRE SUPERVISOR, MISS BENNETT SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT CHILD-CARE WORKERS TAKE INTEREST IN THEIR JOB AND ARE HELPED TO MAKE IT A CAREER.
SHE THEREFORE THOUGHT THE PROPOSALS TO LOWER THE BASIC EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION FOR CHILD-CARE WORKERS NEED FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
BY ASKING FOR COMPLETION OF FORM V WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO SUBJECTS AT GRADE E HOWEVER, MANY STUDENTS COMPLETING FORM V WITHOUT THE FIVE SUBJECTS AT GRADE E REQUIRED FOR MANY CAREERS WILL BE ABLE TO TURN TO CHILD-CARE CENTRES FOR A GOOD CAREER AND CAN LOOK FORWARD TO BECOMING A SUPERVISOR. WHICH REQUIRES A SIMILAR MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUAL IF ICATION.
'SED HOPED..