WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
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+ IF WE DO NOT BUILD A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, THESE SPECIAL FACILITIES MUST BE PROVIDED IN ALL REGIONAL AND GENERAL HOSPITALS, SHE SAID.
STILL SPEAKING ON THE NEED TO IMPROVE SERVICES TO CHILDREN MISS BENNETT DREW ATTENTION TO THE +GROSSLY INADEQUATE + NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS IN HONG KONG.
+UNTIL WE HAVE MORE TRAINED PERSONNEL WE SHALL CONTINUE, AS THIS YEAR, TO PLACE CHILDREN IN THE WRONG TYPE OF SPECIAL CLASSES OR SCHOOLS OR INDEED PLACE THEM IN SPECIAL CLASSES WHEN THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE ORDINARY CLASS OR SCHOOL, SHE SAID.
MISS BENNETT ALSO HOPED THE REPORT ON THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILD PROMISED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WILL BE POSITIVE IN ITS APPROACH.
PARENTS TRYING TO GIVE THEIR CHILD A GOOD START IN LIFE FOUND +CRAM SHOPS NOT TRUE KINDERGARTENS OR PLAY CENTRES.
+WE HAVE FORGOTTEN IN HONG KONG THAT A KINDERGARTEN SHOULD BE A GARDEN FOR CHILDREN TO DISCOVER THE WIDER ENVIRONMENT OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES,+ SHE SAID.
DR. THE HON, HO KAM-FAI ALSO SHOWED CONCERN FOR THE INCREASING AMOUNT OF ACADEMIC LEARNING BEING GIVEN TO CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN.
+COMPLEX ARITHMETIC AND ENGLISH ARE NOW NORMAL PARTS OF THE SYLLABUS AND HOMEWORK IS ASSIGNED TO PLEASE PARENTS.+
A MORE ALARMING DEVELOPMENT, HE SAID, WAS THE RAISING OF THE TEACHING STANDARD IN SOME KINDERGARTENS, WITHOUT REGARD TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CHILD'S PACE OF LEARNING, PRESUMABLY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PRIMARY 1 ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS OF CERTAIN PRIMARY SCHOOLS, HE SAID.
ON THE WHOLE, DR. HO THOUGHT THE FAMILY WAS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN PROMOTING THE WELFARE OF THE CHILD.
+ IT IS IN THE FAMILY WHERE THE CHILD RECEIVES EMOTIONAL SECURITY, LEARNS THE NORMS OF HUMAN RELATIONS AND GRADUALLY FORMS HIS OWN PERSONALITY, HE SAID.
YET THESE TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS WERE BEING ERODED BY THE DEMANDS OF URBANISATION AND MODERNISATION.
THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID, SHOULD COME TO THE AID OF THE FAMILY BY PROVIDING A VARIETY OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS BUT, IN CURRENT POLICY-MAKING THESE SYSTEMS WERE PLANNED ON THE BASIS OF AGE-GROUPS OR SPECIAL NEEDS AND LITTLE EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON PLANNING FOR THE FAMILY AS A UNIT.
HE GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF CHILD ABUSE. USUALLY THE PARENTS WERE PROSECUTED AND THE CHILD REMOVED FOR TEMPORARY PLACEMENT. VERY LIKELY THIS PROVOKED STRONG RESENTMENT IN THE CONVICTED PARENTS OR IN OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY AGAINST THE YOUNG VICTIM.
/+CHILD ABUSE.....