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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1992
REARING HANDICAPPED CHILDREN A GREAT PROBLEM
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TEACHING PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN POSES GREAT CHALLENGES TO TEACHERS, BUT BRINGING UP PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IS EVEN GREATER PROBLEM FOR THEIR PARENTS.
THIS WAS STATED BY LADY WILSON TODAY (THURSDAY) AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA RED CROSS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL.
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SHE SAID APART FROM COPING WITH STRESS AND STRAIN, PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS HAD TO FIND SPECIAL COURAGE THEIR ENDEAVOURS TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THEIR LIVES.
"THEIR COURAGE AND COMMITMENT SHOULD BE, AND OFTEN 18, A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO NOT HAVE TO FACE SUCH PROBLEMS IN OUR DAILY LIVES, BUT WHO WATCH HOW MUCH CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH LOVE, CARE AND IMMENSE PATIENCE.
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THE REWARDS, SHE SAID, COULD BE TREMENDOUS.
"EACH STEP IS A MOUNTAIN CLIMBED, BUT THE EFFORT AND COMMITMENT HAS TO BE CONSTANT, AND IS THEREFORE VERY DEMANDING, SHE SAID.
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LADY WILSON SAID SHE WAS ENORMOUSLY IMPRESSED BY THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING AND THE EXCELLENT FACILITIES THERE.
BUT SHE ADMITTED THAT HER THOUGHTS TODAY WERE WITH THE CHILDREN ATTENDING THE SCHOOL, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR TEACHERS.
APART FROM CONGRATULATING ALL THE TEACHERS AT THE SCHOOL FOR THE EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENT, LADY WILSON ALSO CONGRATULATED ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE RED CROSS, AND ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL IN WHATEVER CAPACITY.
"THE DEDICATION AND LOVE FROM PARENTS AND STAFF, THE COURAGE AND BFFORT OF THE CHILDREN, AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES, SUPERVISORS, AND THOSE WHO HELP ADVISE THE SCHOOL FROM GOVERNMENT AND ELSEWHERR, ARE ALL REASONS WHY THE SCHOOL HAS COME FAR, AND BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL, SHE ADDED.
SO
ORIGINALLY AN ORPHANAGE FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, KNOWN AS THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA RED CROSS CHILDREN'S HOME, THE SCHOOL WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED IN 1962 WITH A DONATION FROM THE WORLD REFUGEE YEAR FUND.
THE PURPOSE WAS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND CARE FOR 60 PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN THREE PRIMARY CLASSES.
OVER THE YEARS, THE SCHOOL HAS EXPANDED A GREAT DEAL TO MEET AN EVER GROWING DEMAND.
IT STARTED ITS FIRST CLASS FOR MULTIPLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN 1969, AND ITS FIRST SECONDARY CLASS IN 1983.
/WITH THESE
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