THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1981
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CALL TO UPGRADE EDUCATION SYSTEM
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD UPGRADE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE LAST TWO DECADES OF THIS CENTURY, THE HON THE REV JOYCE BENNETT TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAK ING DURING THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES, MISS BENNETT SAID SHE WAS HAPPY TO NOTE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON EDUCATION. SHE URGED THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION TOGETHER WITH THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO PRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS SIMILAR TO THOSE PROPOSED FOR THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
UNDOUBTEDLY, MISS BENNETT POINTED OUT, HONG KONG HAS BEEN EXAMINING ITS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN PIECEMÉAL FASHION FOR YEARS AND THIS WAS THE LAST STEP IN THE PROCESS+.
*WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT OVERALL EXAMINATION OF THE SYSTEM. HONG KONG SOCIETY DESERVES ITS EDUCATION TO BE TREATED AS A WHOLE.
+MAY THE EDUCATION OFFICERS BE ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD AS A WHOLE!+
SHE THOUGHT THAT SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO LIAISE MORE WITH THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM WHICH THE IR STUDENTS COME.
TURNING TO THE WHITE PAPER ITSELF, MISS BENNETT SAID THAT DESPITE THE IMPROVED DIVISION BETWEEN CHILD-CARE CENTRES AND KINDERGARTENS ON THE GROUNDS OF AGE, THERE WAS STILL SOME DOUBLE-THINK REQUIRED WHEN DEALING WITH THE THREE-YEAR-OLD BABY CLASS FOR THE KINDERGARTENS.
*THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO PERMIT THESE TO CONTINUE, BUT THEY MUST BE REGISTERED AS CHILD-CARE CENTRES!
+ IN CONTRAST SOME CHILDREN OF 4-5 WILL BE ATTENDING CHILD-CARE CENTRES.
+WHEN IS A KINDERGARTEN A CHILD-CARE CENTRE AND WHEN IS A CHILD-CARE CENTRE A KINDERGARTEN?
+DO THE AUTHORS REALLY CONSIDER SUCH WORDS TRULY DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THESE TWO TYPES OF PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS?+ SHE ASKED.
HOWEVER, SHE NOTED THAT THE AUTHORS OF THE WHITE PAPER HAVE IN FACT DEVISED WAYS BY WHICH THESE INSTITUTIONS MAY DRAW MORE AND MORE CLOSE TOGETHER. THESE ARE THE STAFF WILL BE EVENTUALLY TRAINED IN THE SAME TRAINING COLLEGE AND FUTURE KINDERGARTENS WILL IMPROVE THEIR FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT TO MAKE THEM MORE LIKE CHILD-CARE CENTRES.
ON THE CONTROL OF ENTRY TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS, MISS BENNETT WARNED THAT THERE WAS A DANGER THAT KINDERGARTENS WOULD BE PROVIDING THE IR ENTRANCE TESTS TO ASSESS WHICH CHILDREN TO ADMIT.
/+A VERY
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