TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1983
EDUCATION MUST BE BROADENED FOR ALL
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BRAY
EDUCATION WHICH IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES WAS SUITABLE FOR THE ELITE MUST BE BROADENED TO GIVE THE MOST TO CHILDREN WITH ALL GRADES AND TYPES OF LEARNING ABILITY, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE SILVER JUBILEE THANKSGIVING SERVICE OF THE METHODIST COLLEGE, MR BRAY SAID THIS IS AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE THAN THE EARLIER ACHIEVEMENT OF PROVIDING EDUCATION FOR ALL YOUNGSTERS.
+THIS MUST NOT ONLY BE RECOGNISED IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
+THOSE IN THEIR LATE TEENS AND EARLY TWENTIES NEED EDUCATION WHICH IS MORE PROLIFIC IN QUANTITY AND MORE VARIED IN CONTENT TO FIT FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COMPETE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL SATISFACTION, MR BRAY SAID,
MR BRAY SAID THAT THE METHODIST COLLEGE'S SERVICE WAS BEING CELEBRATED AT A TURNING POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HỒNG KÔNG.
+WHAT A TRANSFORMATION WE HAVE SEEN IN THE EDUCATION SCENE OVER THIS 25 YEARS, HE SAID.
MR BRAY RECALLED THAT WHEN THE COLLEGE WAS OPENED IN 1958, THERE WERE 46 GOVERNMENT AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITH LESS THAN 20 000 STUDENTS.
+THERE WERE NOT EVEN ENOUGH PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOR EVERYBODY SO THAT SOME PEOPLE STILL STARTED LIFE WITH PRACTICALLY NO EDUCATION AT ALL, HE SAID.
TODAY, HE ADDED, THERE ARE 263 GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITH OVER 250 000 STUDENTS.
+WHEN THE COLLEGE STARTED, SECONDARY EDUCATION WAS FOR THE ELITE. TODAY IT IS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
+ INDEED ONLY A QUARTER OF THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN HONG KONG AGED 16 AND 17 ARE NOT STILL IN FULL-TIME EDUCATION, + MR BRAY SAID.
SAID
MR BRAY SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOW SPENDING SOME $5 BILLION A YEAR OF PUBLIC MONEY ON EDUCATION.
MR BRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO LEARNING, A MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN HONG KONG WAS THE FREEDOM TO FOLLOW THE VARIETY OF SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS WHICH CHARACTERISE THE SYSTEM.
+IT IS THIS FREEDOM WHICH DEVELOPS THE SPIRIT OF THE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL SO THAT IN ADULT LIFE THEY CAN ACCEPT VARIETY OF BELIEF, OPINION AND TRADITIONS,
+ONLY THUS CAN THEY LIVE IN HARMONY WITH OTHERS WITHOUT FEELING THAT CONFORMITY WITH SOME STATE DOCTRINE HAS TO BE OBSERVED, HE SAID.
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