THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985
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IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF SIXTH FORM LEAVERS WENT TO WORK AFTER HAVING FAILED TO GAIN ADMISSION TO TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, MRS FAN SAID IT WAS LOGICAL TO BROADEN THE SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM SO THAT STUDENTS COULD BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WORK.
IT WAS ALSO NECESSARY TO UPGRADE THEIR LANGUAGE ABILITY. IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE, SO THAT THEY COULD WORK IN BOTH LANGUAGES AT AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD, SHE SAID.
+THE ECONOMIC NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE USEFULNESS OF THE EDUCATION OFFERED TO THE STUDENTS SHOULD, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE EXISTING ADMISSION SYSTEM ADOPTED BY INDIVIDUAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS,
+ON BALANCE, FAVOUR A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED TWO-YEAR COURSE FOR SIXTH FORM WITH ONE EXAMINATION TAKEN IN EITHER CHINESE OR ENGLISH AT THE END OF THE COURSE, MRS FAN SAID.
SHE ALSO ADVOCATED THE INCLUSION OF PRACTICAL ORIENTATED SUBJECTS AS OPTIONS IN THE CURRICULUM,
IN ADDITION, SHE SUGGESTED THE LEVEL OF +USE OF ENGLISH+ SHOULD BE UPGRADED AND USE OF CHINESE+ SHOULD BE INTRODUCED.
BOTH SUBJECTS SHOULD BE COMPULSORY FOR ALL SIXTH FORM STUDENTS WHOSE MOTHER TONGUE IS CHINESE, SHE SAID.
+HOPEFULLY, THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN SIXTH FORM EDUCATION WILL ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO GIVE MORE RECOGNITION TO SIXTH FORM LEAVERS, SINCE THEY WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO CONTRIBUTE IN THEIR WORK ING ROLE.
+ IN ANOTHER DIMENSION, A BROADER AND PRACTICAL CURRICULUM WILL ALSO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SIXTH FORM LEAVERS TO TAKE UP PART-TIME VOCATIONALLY ORIENTATED COURSES WHICH CAN HELP THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT, SHE SAID.
AS THE RATIONALISATION OF SIXTH FORM EDUCATION WITH A MORE PRAGMATIC CURRICULUM WOULD AFFECT TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, MRS FAN SAID THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING A MORE SYSTÉMATIC ADMISSION SYSTEM UNDER THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE (UPGC) DESERVED SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.
SHE SAID THE UPGC HAD RECOMMENDED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A BODY OF ITS OWN TO MAINTAIN INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARD.
MRS FAN SAID IT WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD AND HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FIND IT POSSIBLE TO GIVE SUPPORT TO IT AT AN EARLY DATE.
SHE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WHILE PUTTING EFFORTS INTO THE UPGRADING OF THE STANDARD OF CHINESE, SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE STANDARD OF ENGLISH WAS IMPROVED SO THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION AS AN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE COULD BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED.
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