THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1981
7
GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACEMENT SUPPORTED
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DR HENRY HU, WHO SUPPORTED THE WHITE PAPER, SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH THE GREATER FLEXIBILITY INTRODUCED INTO THE DISCRETIONARY PLACE SYSTEM.
HE SAID SCHOOLS WILL NOW BE ALLOWED TO OFFER UP TO 65 PER CENT DISCRETIONARY PLACES TO CHILDREN WITH SOME SPECIAL
CONNECTION WITH THE SCHOOL COMPARED WITH THE ORIGINAL 15 PER CENT IN THE GREEN PAPER. AT THE SAME TIME, 65 PER CENT OF SCHOOL PLACES IN ANY DISTRICT WILL BE ALLOCATED TO CHILDREN LIVING IN THE AREA,
+1 HOPE THAT IN THE MEDIUM TERM - WHEN THE SUPPLY OF TRAINED TEACHERS IS INCREASED AND THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL STANDARDS. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORTING SERVICES - IT WOULD THEN BE BOTH PRACTICAL AND DESIRABLE TO FURTHER INTEGRATE PUPILS OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS IN SCHOOLS BY GRADUALLY REDUCING THE QUOTA OF DISCRETIONARY PLACES, + HE SAID.
DR HU WELCOMED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING PRIMARY SCHOOL ENTRY EXAMINATIONS BY INTERVIEWS. HOWEVER, HE WARNED THAT SUCH INTERVIEWS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE USED AS TESTS IN DISGUISE.
COMMENTING ON THE ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, HE QUOTED AN EXAMPLE FROM THE WHITE PAPER TO SHOW THAT ONCE THE TOTAL FAMILY INCOME EXCEEDS THE $3 000 LEVEL AFTER ALLOWING FOR RENT, IT WILL NO LONGER BE ENTITLED TO ANY ASSISTANCE.
+1 FIND THIS UNNECESSARILY RESTRICTIVE, HOWEVER, AT TODAY'S HIGH INFLATION RATE.
+ I WOULD URGE THAT THE CEILING BE SUITABLY RELAXED.+
ON THE QUESTION OF TRAINING OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, DR HU SUGGESTED THAT SHORTER BUT MORE INTENSIVE COURSES SHOULD BE RUN.
EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED NOT ONLY ON THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS BUT ALSO ON THE STAFF'S DEVOTION TO CHILDREN AND THEIR WORK, HE ADDED.
AS REGARDS THE PILOT PROJECT TO CHARGE NON-PROFIT-MAKING KINDERGARTENS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AT A WELFARE RENT, DR HU HOPED THAT IT WOULD BE MADE PERMANENT AND EXTENDED TO ALL ESTATE KINDERGARTENS, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH ARE PAYING THE FULL MARKET RENT FOR THEIR ESTATE PREMISES THROUGH OPEN TENDER.
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