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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1987
HE NOTED THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAD NOT DEVELOPED A GOOD READING HABIT. THE FOUNDATION WOULD THEREFORE BE HELPFUL IN ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO READ HIGH QUALITY PUBLICATIONS. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE FOUNDATION COULD PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION OF HIGH-QUALITY READING MATERIAL.
TURNING TO THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE FOUNDATION,
MR YEUNG SAID THAT AT PRESENT THERE WAS MUCH TO BE DESIRED IN THE LINGUISTIC STANDARD OF CHINESE TEXTBOOKS AND WORKBOOKS FOR ALL SUBJECTS. THEY CONTAINED SUPERFLUOUS WORDING AND DIALECTAL EXPRESSIONS.
+ IN VIEW OF THIS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ESTABLISH A SPECIAL BODY TO BE CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF IMPROVING THE STANDARD UF CHINESE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS AND WORKBOOKS IN ALL SUBJECTS,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID THE FOUNDATION COULD ALSO DETERMINE THE MOST SUITABLE WAY OF TEACHING PUTONGHUA IN HONG KONG AND HELP IMPROVE THE LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY OF STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE.
HE ADDED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PROMOTE CIVIC AND MORAL EDUCATION THROUGH THE USE OF CHINESE, SUCH AS THE PUBLICATION OF GOOD PERIODICALS IN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE. THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE AREAS TO WHICH THE FOUNDATION SHOULD DEVOTE ITS EFFORTS.
TURNING TO THE FOUNDATION'S ASSISTANCE IN RESEARCH PROJECTS, MR YEUNG SAID IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SOME URGENT RESEARCH PROJECTS.
HE SAID IMMEDIATE STUDIES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED ON SUCH AREAS AS THE COMPILATION OF REFERENCE BOOKS, THE USE OF CHINESE AS A MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PROFICIENCY IN CHINESE OF TRANSLATORS, PROFICIENCY IN SPOKEN LANGUAGES OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THE MASS MEDIA, THE TEACHING OF PUTONGHUA, AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON THE USE OF CHINESE IN VARIOUS CHINESE COMMUNITIES.
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IN CONCLUSION, MR YEUNG SAID THAT AT PRESENT THERE WAS NO APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY TO TAKE UP THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROMOTING THE USE OF CHINESE TO ALL FORMS AND CLASSES IN SCHOOLS AND TO ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
+THE RIGHT APPROACH IS TO SET UP A CHINESE LANGUAGE FOUNDATION TO UNDERTAKE THIS IMPORTANT TASK, HE SAID.
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