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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1982
THE DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY INSPECTORATE WAS BEING EXPANDED TO COPE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1981 WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS. PROBABLY OF MORE SIGNIFICANCE, MR HAYE ADDED, WAS THE FACT THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE INSPECTORATE WAS BEING REVISED WHICH SHOULD LEAD TO A STRENGTHENING AND RE-SHAPING TO ENABLE IT MORE EFFECTIVEL" TO CARRY OUT ITS MANY ADVISORY TASKS.
MR HAYE FULLY AGREED WITH THE HON SELINA CHOW ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.
+HOWEVER, I MUST CORRECT MRS CHOW'S IMPRESSION OF THE SIZE OF THE EXISTING COMMITMENT TO CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, WHICH, I CAN ASSURE HER, IS NOT LIMITED TO THE APPOINTMENT (AT A COST OF $57 000) OF A KINDERGARTEN ADVISER,+ HE SAID.
*WITHIN THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE THERE IS A CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT SECTION WITH A FULL-TIME STAFF OF TEN (SEVEN PROFESSIONAL AND THREE SUPPORTING STAFF). THE TASK OF THIS SECTION IS TO SERVICE AND COORDINATE THE WORK OF THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WHICH CONSISTS OF A MAIN COMMITTEE OF SOME 30 MEMBERS, OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL, AND A TOTAL OF 60 SUBJECT COMMITTEES. ALL INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS ARE INVOLVED, TO VARYING DEGREES, IN THE WORK OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.
+THE PRESENT CDC SYSTEM IS BEING REVIEWED TO ASSESS ITS APPROPRIATENESS AND HOW IT CAN BE IMPROVED. ALSO, BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WILL BE THE SETTING UP OF TEAMS OF TEACHERS, SECONDED FROM THE SCHOOLS, TO WORK ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS,+ HE SAID.
TURNING TO THE REMARKS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ABOUT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACEMENT AND ALLOCATION PROCEDURES AND THE JSEA SYSTEM, MR HAYE AGREED THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AS A RESULT OF THE RECENT REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY WHICH REVIEWED THE SSPA AND THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON IT, WAYS WERE NOW BEING STUDIED WITHIN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO EFFECT SOME REDUCTION IN THE ABILITY RANGES FOR WHICH THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAD TO PROVIDE.
ON THE JSEA, MR HAYE SAID: +NOW THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED THE FIRST FULL CYCLE AND STUDIED WHAT HAPPENED IT CAN BE SEEN THAT IT DID NOT CAUSE THE MAJOR UPHEAVAL AND MOVEMENT OF PUPILS THAT SOME HAD FEARED,
+WHAT NOW NEEDS TO BE FURTHER EMPHASISED IS THAT THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC EXAMINATION, BUT THAT IT IS A SYSTEM OF ALLOCATION BASED ON INTERNAL SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS WHICH ARE SCALED TO ENSURE COMPARABILITY OF SCHOOL STANDARDS.
ON MISS BENNETT'S PROPOSAL THAT A NEW, CENTRALLY ORGANISED PUBLIC EXAMINATION BE INTRODUCED TO FILL THE FORM IV PLACES NOT FILLED BY THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES, MR HAYE SAID HE BELIEVED SUCH A MEASURE WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE THE MOST UNFORTUNATE EDUCATIONAL EFFECTS BUT WOULD INTRODUCE AN UNACCEPTABLE DEGREE OF INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AMONG OUR FORM 111 PUPILS.
MR HAYE