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SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1980
EDUCATION ASSESSMENT SERVICE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN
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PARENTS OF CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM ANY FORM OF PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY ARE ADVISED TO TAKE THEM TO ONE OF THE TWO SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES CENTRES RUN BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOR AN ASSESSMENT.
THE CENTRES ARE IN PERTH STREET IN KOWLOON, AND IN HOSPITAL ROAD IN SAI YING PUN ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THROUGH AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT, HANDICAPPED CHILDREN MAY, IF FOUND NECESSARY, BE REFERRED TO SCHOOLS FOR HANDICAPPED PUPILS WHERE THEY ARE TAUGHT A CURRICULUM THAT IS ADAPTED TO THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS.
SPECIAL EDUCATION HELPS THEM TO DEVELOP AND GROW UP AS WELL-ADJUSTED INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN LEAD A WHOLLY OR, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, PARTIALLY SELF-SUPPORTING LIFE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EDUCATION OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR DEGREE OF MENTAL HANDICAP SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR.
IN APRIL THIS YEAR, THERE WERE 23 SCHOOLS FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WITH A CAPACITY OF ABOUT 2 500 PLACES. ELEVEN OF THESE WERE FORMERLY SUBVENTED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND ONE ORIGINALLY BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
AS FOR THE CURRICULUM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FOR THOSE WHO COULD BENEFIT, ORDINARY SCHOOL SUBJECTS SUCH AS LANGUAGE AND MATHEMATICS WERE TAUGHT- PERCEPTUAL TRAINING, SOCIAL TRAINING AS WELL AS INTEGRATED STUDIES WERE ALSO INCLUDED.
BECAUSE OF THEIR MENTAL HANDICAP, SELF-CARE IN DAILY LIFE IS ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL SUBJECTS IN THE CURRICULUM, HE ADDED.
FURTHERMORE, THE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT PRACTICAL SKILLS TO PREPARE THEM FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING OR EMPLOYMENT AND ULTIMATELY FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE IN FUTURE.
UNDER THE CODE OF AID FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS, THEIR CLASS SIZE IS MUCH SMALLER THAN THAT OF AN ORDINARY SCHOOL TO PERMIT BETTER ATTENTION TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CHILD.
THE CODE ALSO PROVIDES NURSES FOR SCHOOLS FOR THE SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WHERE THE CHILDREN NEED MORE CONSTANT MEDICAL CARE.
SOCIAL WORKERS AND SPEECH THERAPISTS ARE ALSO PROVIDED IN THESE SCHOOLS TO EXPAND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CARE.
+SPEECH THERAPISTS HELP THESE PUPILS TO DEVELOP THEIR COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS AND SOCIAL WORKERS HELP THEM SOLVE ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL AS WELL AS ESTABLISH BETTER LINK BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE FAMILY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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