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ECR PROPOSALS WOULD RESOLVE LANGUAGE PROBLEM
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THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS OFFER THE BEST HOPE OF A RESOLUTION OF THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION PROBLEM, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR K.Y. YEUNG, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE JOINT SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPEECH DAY OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS, MR YEUNG SAID SOME PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION COULD ONLY BE SOLVED BY MANDATING EITHER MOTHER-TONGUE EDUCATION OR EDUCATION THROUGH THE ENGLISH MEDIUM.
"ONLY IN THIS WAY, THEY ARGUE, CAN THE PROBLEM OF PARENTAL PRESSURE FOR ENGLISH BE OVERCOME, HE SAID.
"I
"LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT COERCION IS NOT THE WAY IN WHICH WE USUALLY DO THINGS HERE IN HONG KONG," MR YEUNG SAID, ADDING THAT IT WAS NOT IN KEEPING WITH HONG KONG'S CONSENSUAL STYLE OF GOVERNMENT.
THE INTRODUCTION OF ATTAINMENT TARGETS AND RELATED ASSESSMENTS WILL GIVE PARENTS EXPLICIT EVIDENCE WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CHILDREN CAN COPE IN AN ENGLISH MEDIUM EDUCATION, MR YEUNG POINTED OUT.
"ONLY AN IRRESPONSIBLE PARENT WOULD INSIST ON MEDIUM EDUCATION IF IT WAS CLEAR HIS CHILD COULD NOT COPE,
AN ENGLISH
HE SAID.
"FURTHER INCENTIVES FOR PARENTS то CHOOSE A CHINESE-MEDIUM EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN WILL COME ABOUT THROUGH THE WIDENING OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION.
"WE ARE BROADENING THE SIXTH ADVANCED LEVELS COURSES IN CHINESE THIS SUPPLEMENTARY LEVELS IN 1992.
FORM CURRICULUM, INTRODUCING YEAR, AND CHINESE ADVANCED
"WE WILL BE DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF FIRST DEGREES PLACES BY 1994," MR YEUNG SAID,
GIVEN THE FACT THAT OUR TERTIARY EDUCATION REQUIRES A MODICUM OF COMPETENCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN ORDER THAT OUR FIRST DEGREES CAN MAINTAIN INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION, I SHALL SOON BE TALKING TO THE HEADS OF OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ABOUT THE MINIMUM LEVEL OF LANGUAGE ATTAINMENT THEY EXPECT OF OUR MATRICULANTS FOR TYPES OF DEGREE COURSES, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO TAKE CHINESE LANGUAGE ADVANCED LEVEL AND ADVANCED SUPPLEMENTARY LEVEL PAPERS, SAID.
ENGLISH VARIOUS
HE
THAT
*THIS WILL NOT ONLY GIVE PARENTS A MEASURE OF ASSURANCE THE CHOICE OF THE CHINESE MEDIUM IS A VIABLE PROPOSITION, BUT ALSO HELP US IN THE PLANNING OF VARIOUS BRIDGING COURSES," HE ADDED.
HE STRESSED THAT THE CHOICE OF CHINESE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION WOULD NOT CREATE A HANDICAP OR DISADVANTAGE FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT..
THE CHINESE LANGUAGE IS GROWING IN IMPORTANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY,
MR YEUNG SAID.
/"FOR EXAMPLE