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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1978
HE SAID THEY WERE EXPECTED TO PERFORM VARIOUS FUNCTIONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS SUCH AS GIVING PERSONAL, EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND HELPING PREVENT SCHOOL DROP-OUTS.
HE TOLD THE NEWLY-TRAINED OFFICERS: +NOW AS AN OFFICER, YOU ARE TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY AND TO PROVIDE SERVICE AMONG SOME 3,000 PUPILS FROM TWO TO SIX DIFFERENT SCHOOLS EACH, OR 2,000 PUPILS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.+
WITH A STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICER WORKING ON THE SPOT, HE SAID, PUPILS WITH PROBLEMS SHOULD BE DETECTED AT AN EARLY STAGE.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE ADDED, IF APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN AT THE RIGHT MOMENT BY SOMEONE WHO IS NOT PRE-OCCUPIED WITH THE TEACHING OF THE WHOLE CLASS, IT WILL BE OF HELP TO ALL CONCERNED.
+THIS MEANS THE CLASS WILL NOT BE DISRUPTED, THE TEACHER WILL BE RELIEVED, AND NATURALLY THE PUPIL WITH THE PROBLEM WILL BE HELPED BY SOMEONE DESIGNATED FOR THE JOB WHO NOT ONLY HAS THE TIME BUT ALSO THE SKILL TO DO IT, HE SAID.
MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT AS SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK OR STUDENT GUIDANCE WORK WAS STILL A NEW CONCEPT TO MANY, THE PROCESS OF REFERRAL WAS LIKELY TO BE SLOW IN THE INITIAL STAGE, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE DISTRUST THE SCHOOL STAFF MIGHT HAVE IN THE OFFICERS, AND PARTLY BECAUSE IT WAS OFTEN TAKEN AS AN ADDITIONAL TASK FOR THE TEACHER.
+THIS MEANS THAT THEY MUST HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE YOU PLAY IN THE SCHOOL AND TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE DIFFICULT PUPILS THEY HAVE, HE TOLD THE OFFICERS.
THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT IN THEIR NEW JOB, THERE WERE BOUND TO BE CASES WHICH CALLED FOR THE EXPERTISE OF OTHER PROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS EDUCATIONAL COUNSELLORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
HE SAID THAT SHOULD THEY ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES, THEY WERE FREE TO CONSULT THEIR SUPERVISORS WHO WOULD, IN TURN, SEEK ASSISTANCE WHERE APPROPRIATE FROM OTHER PROFESSIONALS,
THERE ARE EIGHT RECEIVING OFFICERS FOUR TO BE PROVIDED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE OTHERS BY VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES WHO ARE READY TO BACK THEM UP AND TAKE OVER THE DIFFICULT CASES WHERE NECESSARY, HE SAID.
MR. LEE ALSO SAID HIS DEPARTMENT HAD A GOOD LIBRARY AND HE CALLED ON THE STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS TO MAKE GOOD USE OF IT IN KEEPING ABREAST WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN GUIDANCE WORK.
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