WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988
35
MR BRIDGE NOTED THAT IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THE AVERAGE STANDARD WOULD DROP IF ONE MOVED FROM A HIGHLY SELECTIVE SYSTEM ΤΟ A SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR ALL.
"BUT EXAMINATION RESULTS DO NOT INDICATE THAT BRIGHTER CHILDREN ARE ACHIEVING LESS NOW THAN THEY DID SOME YEARS AGO; ON THE CONTRARY, THEY INDICATE THAT MANY MORE CHILDREN ARE NOW COMPLETING THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION TO A SATISFACTORY STANDARD 11 HE SAID.
I
MR BRIDGE ALSO NOTED THAT EXAMINATION PRESSURE HAD BEEN CONSIDERABLY REDUCED OVER THE PAST YEARS AS MORE PLACES HAD BECOME AVAILABLE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
"THE FIRST PUBLIC EXAMINATION ANY OF OUR CHILDREN NOW TAKE IS THE CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION AFTER SECONDARY 5,
" HE SAID.
NOTING THAT THE CHANGE TO A MASS EDUCATION SYSTEM HAD GIVEN RISE TO THE NEED FOR GREATER VARIETY IN CURRICULUM AND TEACHING METHODS, MR BRIDGE SAID THE ACTIVITY APPROACH, WHICH WAS A CHILD-CENTRE APPROACH, WOULD BE EXTENDED TO AS MANY PRIMARY SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE.
ON THE PROPOSAL TO PHASE OUT HALF-DAY PRIMARY SCHOOLS, HE SAID A PROGRAMME WAS BEING WORKED OUT AND WOULD SOON BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
MEASURES HAD ALSO BEEN TAKEN THIS YEAR MORE SUITED TO THE BROADER RANGE OF PUPILS IN SCHOOLS, MR BRIDGE SAID.
"WE HAVE
RESTRUCTURED THE CURRICULUM
INTO A COUNCIL UNDER A NON-GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN.
TO DEVELOP
PRIMARY AND
CURRICULA SECONDARY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
"WE HAVE PROVIDED INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS TO WORK ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, HE SAID.
MR BRIDGE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD BE BETTER PLACED TO RESPOND TO THE VARIOUS CURRICULUM NEEDS OF SCHOOLS WITH MUCH GREATER PARTICIPATION BY TEACHERS AT ALL LEVELS.
ON
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WAS NOW WORKING A MAJOR STUDY OF CURRICULA AND BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS DURING THE PERIOD OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR SECONDARY CLASSES AND WOULD PUBLISH ITS CONCLUSIONS NEXT YEAR IN ITS FOURTH REPORT.
REFERRING TO THE NEED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS, MR BRIDGE SAID THE OBJECTIVE MUST BE ΤΟ CREATE A SYSTEM WHICH COULD ENSURE THE PRIVATE SECTOR A STRONG ROLE IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND.
/"BY DOING