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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1984
HK'S ETV ONE OF BEST IN WORLD
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HONG KONG'S EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION SERVICE IS THE BEST IN ASIA AND ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD, SAID MR COLVYN HAYE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, TODAY.
MR HAYE ALSO TOLD THE MONTHLY LUNCHEON MEETING OF PO LEUNG KUK DIRECTORS THAT THERE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND THE SERVICE TO COVER MORE LEVELS AND INCLUDE MORE SUBJECTS. THESE PLANS, MADE BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, HAD BEEN DRAWN UP AS TEACHERS HAD SHOWN AN OVERWHELMING APPRECIATION OF THE PRESENT SERVICE.
DETAILED PROPOSALS WILL BE MADE TO THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD WHICH WAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR JUSTICE NOEL POWER.
+I SHALL BE SITTING ON THE REVIEW BOARD AND WILL BE ABLE TO PLEAD THE CASE PERSONALLY, AND IT IS A GREAT COMFORT TO KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF IS A BELIEVER,+ MR HAYE SAID.
REMINISCING ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS OF PLANNING EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING, MR HAYE SAID THAT THE FIRST PLANS FOR A SCHOOLS SERVICE WERE SHELVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION RESUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOVERNMENT WITH THE EVACUATION OF THE JAPANESE, BECAUSE OF THE URGENT NEED FOR REHABILITATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
TEN YEARS LATER, WHEN HE MOVED FROM SCHOOL TEACHING TO ADMINISTRATION, HE FOUND AN OLD FILE WITH THE PLANS AND DECIDED TO REVIVE THE ISSUE. ADDRESSING MR DOUGLAS GROZIER, THE THEN DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR HAYE REMINDED HIM THAT HE HAD FIRST MOOTED THE IDEA FOR SCHOOLS BROADCASTING. MUCH AMUSED, MR CROZIER TOLD HIM TO PLAN A SERVICE, MR HAYE SAID.
+1 FOUND A READY ALLY IN DONALD BROOKS, DIRECTOR OF RADIO HONG KONG, MR HAYE REMARKED.
+AND DONALD AND I RAPIDLY PUT TOGETHER A WORKING PARTY WHICH PROVED TO ALMOST EVERYBODY'S SATISFACTION THAT NOT ONLY WAS A SCHOOLS SERVICE DESIRABLE, IT WAS BOTH FEASIBLE AND ECONOMICAL.+
ALTHOUGH THE SCHEME HAD TO GIVE WAY TO OTHER URGENT EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES, MR HAYE DID NOT LOSE HOPE.
IN 1964, UNESCO OFFERED A FELLOWSHIP FOR AN EDUCATOR TO LOOK AT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AROUND THE WORLD, AND MR HAYE WAS ASKED TO TAKE THE ASSIGNMENT. FOR SIX MONTHS HE STUDIED EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING SYSTEMS IN 10 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND FOUND TIME ALSO FOR A CRASH TV PRODUCTION COURSE IN LONDON AT THE CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION OVERSEAS. THE RESULT WAS A BLUE-PRINT FOR AN ETV SERVICE WHICH AGAIN WAS SHELVED BECAUSE OF OTHER PRIORITIES.
+BUREAUCRACY ALSO PLAYED ITS PART IN DELAYING THE PROJECT,+ MR HAYE SAID.
/+BUT THE