14
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985
HE SAID THREE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE AND ALL HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO ENCOURAGE ADOPTION BY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES OF CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION, TO PROVIDE FOR A GOOD SUPPLY OF TEXTBOOKS OF GOOD STANDARD IN CHINESE AND THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE AND REINFORCE THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY LESSENING OF PROFICIENCY IN THAT LANGUAGE AS A RESULT OF THE MOVE TOWARDS INSTRUCTION IN THE MOTHER-TONGUE.
ON SUGGESTIONS TO MODIFY THE ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST UNDER THE SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES ALLOCATION ARRANGEMENT, MR HENDERSON SAID THIS SYSTEM WAS BEING REVIEWED AND THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WAS SEEK ING THE VIEWS OF SCHOOLS COUNCILS AND OTHER BODIES.
REFERRING TO TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, MR HENDERSON SAID THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL HAD CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY THE POSSIBILITY OF A TWO-YEAR RATHER THAN A ONE-YEAR FULL TIME CRAFT COURSE.
+ IT HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PRESENT COURSE LENGTH IS CORRECT, BUT ONE-YEAR BRIDGING COURSES WILL BE DEVELOPED TO MEET TO THE NEEDS OF CRAFT COURSE STUDENTS WHO MAY WISH TO GO ON TO TECHNICIAN LEVEL COURSES. SOME OF THESE NEW COURSES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM 1986, + HE SAID.
SPEAKING ON ACAMEDIC EXCHANGES WITH CHINA, MR HENDERSON SAID THE LOCAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ALREADY CONDUCTED FREQUENT ACADEMIC EXCHANGES WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN CHINA,
+IN 1984-85, FOR EXAMPLE, NO LESS THAN 98 VISITS WERE MADE TO CHINA BY MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND 96 VISITS MADE TO LOCAL INSTITUTIONS FROM CHINA,+ HE SAID.
TURNING TO LABOUR MATTERS, MR HENDERSON SAID THREE ADDITIONAL SETS OF REGULATIONS UNDER THE FACTOR IES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE WOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1986.
+ONE OF THESE WOULD REQUIRE THE EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY SUPERVISORǝ ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, ANOTHER WOULD LAY DOWN SPECIFIC PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE HANDLING AND USE OF ASBESTOS AND THE THIRD WOULD PROHIBIT OR CONTROL THE USE OF CERTAIN OTHER CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID PROPOSALS WOULD BE PUT FOWARD TO AMEND THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THE ASSETS OF PROVIDENT FUND IN CASES OF INSOLVENCY, BY PROHIBITING DEDUCTION OF WAGES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO A FUND THAT WAS NOT SET UP IN ACCORDANCE WITH CRITERIA TO BE DETERMINED.
+ IT IS ALSO PROPOSED TO INCLUDE A DEATH GRANT UNDER THE ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO HELP FAMILIES MEET THE IMMEDIATE FUNERAL EXPENSES CONSEQUENT UPON THE DEATH OF THE IR BREAD-WINNER.
/+THE TRADE