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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1979
+ IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, OVER 65 PER CENT OF THE 3,000 ODD SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR FORM I PLACES IN 11 PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WERE OF GOOD OR ABOVE AVERAGE ABILITY. THIS RECENT INTAKE INDICATES THAT PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE POPULAR AND ATTRACT A GOODLY PROPORTION OF PUPILS OF GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING,+ HE SAID.
AS A RESULT, MR. TOPLEY SAID A PROPORTION OF SENIOR SECONDARY PLACES WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL AS FROM 1981 TO ENABLE THE ACADEMICALLY MORE CAPABLE PUPILS TO CONTINUE THE IR STUDIES UP TO AT LEAST THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION LEVEL AND LATER TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO TECHNICIAN PROGRAMMES IN THE POLYTECHNIC OR THE TECHNICAL
INSTITUTES.
GIRL PUPILS, THE DIRECTOR ADDED, CERTAINLY HAD A PLACE IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.
+THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING AS WELL AS THE BOYS ESPECIALLY IN THOSE SUBJECT AREAS WHICH INVOLVE PROBLEM-SOLVING, HE SAID.
MR. TOPLEY ALSO PRAISED CARITAS HONG KONG FOR OPENING THE MARDEN FOUNDATION SCHOOLS IN THE EVENINGS FOR COMMUNITY USE.
+THIS IS INDEED A VALUABLE INITIATIVE AND ENSURES THAT FULL USE IS MADE OF THE SCHOOL AND OF THE FINE SCHOOL HALL. I HOPE OTHER AIDED SCHOOLS WILL FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE.
+FACILITIES IN THE SCHOOLS SPONSORED BY THE MARDEN FOUNDATION CAN ALSO CATER FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS, AND THIS IS YET ANOTHER STEP FORWARD, HE SAID.
FOLLOWING THE UNVEILING OF THE COMMEMORATIVE STONE BY MR. TOPLEY, THE MOST REV. JOHN BAPTIST WU, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF HONG KONG, ALSO GAVE HIS BLESSING ON THE OCCASION.
THE CEREMONY WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY MR. J.L. MARDEN, GOVERNOR OF MARDEN FOUNDATION LTD.. AND MRS. MARDEN- MRS. MARJORIE TOPLEY, WIFE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND THE REV. F. LERDA, PRESIDENT OF CARITAS HONG KONG.
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