WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1989
7
ED TRYING TO HELP SCHOOL DROPOUTS
* * *
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS DOING ALL IT CAN TO HELP CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS GENUINE SCHOOL DROPOUT CASES, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON RON BRIDGE, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHEUNG CHI-KONG, MR BRIDGE SAID THAT OF THE 794 CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS GENUINE SCHOOL DROPOUT CASES, 272 WERE NOT RECEIVING FULL-TIME EDUCATION.
"OF THESE CHILDREN 225 (83 PER CENT) ARE APPROACHING 15 YEARS OF AGE AND WILL SOON FALL OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION, MR BRIDGE NOTED.
MR BRIDGE OUTLINED THE REASONS FOR THOSE CHILDREN'S NOT ATTENDING DAY SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THE ACTION TAKEN EITHER TO EXPEDITE THE PLACEMENT OF SUCH CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS OR TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS TO USEFULLY OCCUPY THEIR TIME.
FIRSTLY, MR BRIDGE SAID THAT SOME
DIFFICULTIES.
CHILDREN HAD LEARNING
"APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIAL SERVICES ARK BEING PROVIDED BY STAFF OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT," HE SAID.
MR BRIDGE SAID THAT FOR THOSE THAT LACKED MOTIVATION OR WERE ATTENDING EVENING SCHOOLS, COUNSELLING HAD BEEN PROVIDED BY STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS TO PERSUADE THEM TO RETURN TO FULL TIME EDUCATION.
HE NOTED THAT SOME CHILDREN HAD BEEN WAITLISTED FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING SCHEME.
FOR THIS GROUP OF CHILDREN, MR BRIDGE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE IN LIAISING WITH THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT AND COUNSELLING HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO PERSUADE THE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL IN THE MEANTIME.
CHILDREN
MR BRIDGE FURTHER SAID THAT SOME CHILDREN WERE FROM FISHERMAN
FAMILIES.
"EFFORTS ARE MADE TO CONTACT THE CHILDREN AND PERSUADE THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL," HE SAID.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SOME CHILDREN
PLACEMENT.
WERE PENDING SCHOOL
/"DISTRICT EDUCATION ....