WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1980
6
MR WONG ENDORSED THE PROPOSAL TO ENCOURAGE THE CONVERSION OF PROF IT-MAKING KINDERGARTENS INTO NON-PROF IT-MAKING ONES, BUT POINTED OUT THAT THE EXISTING EDUCATION ORDINANCE HAD SOMEHOW UNINTENTIONALLY CREATED A WIDE GAP BETWEEN SOME NON-PROFIT-MAK ING BODIES AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SCHOOL RUN BY THEM.
ALTHOUGH THESE BODIES ARE ENTITLED TO RECOMMEND CANDIDATES TO THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT AS DIRECTORS OF A SCHOOL, THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO RECOMMEND REPLACEMENTS, HE SAID.
CONSEQUENTLY THESE BODIES TEND TO LOSE ENTHUSIASM IN RUNNING OTHER NEW SCHOOLS.
MR WONG HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE BETTER ARRANGEMENTS AND PROPER IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS RESPECT.
DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI CONFINED HIS COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPER TO PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES.
HE CALLED FOR A SINGLE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT WHICH WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ALL PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES.
HE SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO REPLACE THE MUCH CRITICISED PRIMARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION WITH A COMPREHENSIVE ALLOCATION OF SCHOOL PLACES, THERE SHOULD NO LONGER BE ANY FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY A CHILD CARE CENTRE OR A KINDERGARTEN.
+BOTH TYPES OF PRE-SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS CATER FOR CHILDREN OF A COMMON AGE GROUP AND SHARE THE SIMILAR OBJECTIVES OF FOSTERING THE CHILD'S OVERALL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL REALMS.
+WHY THEN PERPETUATE THE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES BETWEEN THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS?+ HE ASKED.
HE NOTED THAT A SIMILAR SUGGESTION PUT FORWARD BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS REJECTED, AND URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL.
ON THE TRAINING OF CHILD CARE WORKERS AND KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, DR HO SUGGESTED THAT EITHER A SEPARATE INSTITUTE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED OR ONE OF THE EXISTING COLLEGES OF EDUCATION BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ALL TYPES OF PRE-PRIMARY TRAINING COURSES.
AT PRESENT TRAINING FOR THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE IS REGULATED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND IS PROVIDED BY A NUMBER OF
INDEPENDENT BODIES.
IN ADDITION, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE LEE WAI LEE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WILL ALSO RUN TRAINING COURSES FOR CHILD CARE STAFF AS FROM SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.
+WITH SUCH A SEGMENTED TRAINING SYSTEM. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL AND MONITOR THE CONTENTS AND STANDARDS OF THE TRAINING COURSES, DR HO SAID.