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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1988
3-3-4 SYSTEM BEST WAY FORWARD
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A SYSTEM OF SIX YEARS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL AND A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY COURSE WAS SUPPORTED BY THE HON ELSIE TU IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY}.
THE
MRS TU SAID SHE HAD COME TO THE FIRM CONCLUSION THAT A 3-3-4 SYSTEM WAS BEST FOR HONG KONG,
UNDER THIS, STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE SCHOOL AT FORM 3, AND THOSE WHO WISHED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR EDUCATION COULD TAKE THEIR FINAL GOVERNMENT EXAMINATION AT FORM 6 BEFORE STARTING A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE COURSE.
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SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 3 MRS TU SAID THAT WHILE SHE AGREED WITH THERE BEING A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY COURSE, SHE ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE DURATION OF THE COURSE SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE.
"IF A CREDIT UNIT SYSTEM WERE TO BE INTRODUCED, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING TO DETER A STUDENT OF ABILITY GRADUATING IN THREE YEARS
INSTEAD OF FOUR,' SHE SAID.
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SHE SAID A 3-3-1 SYSTEM WITH A CREDIT UNIT PROVISION AT TERTIARY LEVEL. WAS A NEAT, LOGICAL AND NECESSARY WAY TO GO, IN ORDER TO CLEAR UP THE PRESENT CONFUSION AS TO WHAT WAS SECONDARY AND WHAT WAS TERTIARY EDUCATION.
A
SHE ADDED THAT TO COMPLETE THE SYSTEM, THERE WAS A NEED FOR FREE SEVEN-YEAR PRIMARY SCHOOL COURSE TO REPLACE THE PRESENT PRIMARY AND KINDERGARTEN SYSTEM.
"I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION CORRECTLY, AND THE FOUNDATION LIES AT KINDERGARTEN" SHE SAID.
MRS TU SAID THAT
KINDERGARTENS IN HONG KONG WERE STILL
DOMINATED BY THE ELITE.
THIS WAS MOST UNFORTUNATE AS KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION STILL TO SOME EXTENT MAPPED OUT THE FUTURE OF THE CHILD AT THAT LEVEL, RIGHT THROUGH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL AND UP TO TERTIARY EDUCATION.
SHE ALSO SAID THE EDUCATIONALISTS SHE HAD CONSULTED ALL AGREED THAT INCREASED ASSISTANCE MUST BE GIVEN TO SUB-STANDARD SCHOOLS THAT WERE WILLING TO RAISE THEIR STANDARDS TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS.
THE DIRECT SUBSIDY SCHEME WAS EDUCATIONALISTS, SHE SAID,
UNANIMOUSLY
REJECTED BY THOSE
"IF PARENTS OR SCHOOL OPERATOR WISHI ΤΟ CHOOSE THEIR OWN CURRICULUM AND RUN THEIR SCHOOLS FOR AN ELITE CLIENTELE, THEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN PUBLIC MONEY TO DO SO, SHE SAID.
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