13
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1988
"IT.WILL ALSO GIVE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY A GOOD EXAMPLE FOLLOW. BRITAIN WILL BE TAKING THE LEAD ONCE AGAIN, AND REAFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG, MRS FAN SAID.
TO
++
TURNING TO THE TOPIC OF CIVIC EDUCATION, MRS FAN SAID CIVIC EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC WAS 18 IMPORTANT AS EVER. SHE SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991 WOULD REPRESENT AN HISTORIC STEP FORWARD 1N THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.
IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT HONG KONG'S HIGHEST LAW-MAKING BODY WAS TO HAVE MEMBERS DIRECTLY RETURNED BY AN OPEN FRANCHISE CONSISTING OF ABOUT 1.6 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS.
"THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEFORE IT A GREAT AND URGENT TASK OF ENSURING THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PARTICIPATION OF THE VOTERS IN THE ELECTIONS.
"OF NO LESS IMPORTANCE IS THE NEED TO DRIVE HOME THE MESSAGE THAT EACH VOTE COUNTS AND THAT VOTING IS A SACROSANCT CIVIC RIGHT AND DUTY WHICH HAS TO BE EXERCISED WITH A DUE SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY.
"THERE SHOULD BE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES INTRODUCING THE VOTING SYSTEM AND HIGHLIGHTING SOME ESSENTIAL FACTORS WHICH ONE NEEDS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT INDEPENDENTLY WHEN DECIDING TO WHOM THE VOTE SHOULD GO, SHE SAID.
"THIS LIKE OTHER FORMS OF EDUCATION, IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. BUT I AM SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT, ON THE ADVICE OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION, WILL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE, PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW THIS SHOULD BE DONE.
THE NEED TO DO THIS CAN HARDLY BE DISPUTED, AND THE SOONER START MOVING AHEAD ON THIS FRONT, THE BETTER."
WE
ON EDUCATION, MRS FAN SAID SHE WELCOMED THE COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO GRADUALLY PHASE OUT RISESSIONAL SCHOOLS.
TASK
TROUGH DIFFICULTIES WOULD BE ENCOUNTERED, SHE SAID AN URGENT THAT NEEDED TO BE TACKLED IMMEDIATELY WAN NOW TO OFFER
THAT 5 AND 6 STUDENTS, AND IF
WAS UNISESSIONAL SCHOOLS TO PRIMARY 1 ľ
1? NOT POSSIBLE, HOW TO OFFER MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES TO THESE STUDENTS THE FREE HALF DAY.
LEARNING,
AND
THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVED THE NECESSARY GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO DEVELOP
POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIVING IN THIS SOCIETY.
ON.
A
··
·
BILD IN OTHER WORDS, GIVE THEM A FIRM BASE TO SHE NOTED.
THEIR FUTURE
/IN ADDITION,