WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1993
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"THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO ALLOW AMPLE TIME FOR SOCIAL EVENTS, EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND REST, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
**
GIVEN THAT, MR CHAN SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD NO PLANS TO CONDUCT REGULAR SURVEYS AMONG PARENTS TO FIND OUT THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT BY PUPILS DOING HOMEWORK OR PREPARING FOR EXAMINATIONS.
OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THROUGH REGULAR VISITS TO SCHOOLS, MONITOR THE SITUATION REGARDING HOMEWORK, TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO EXCESSES, HE ADDED.
ON QUESTIONS WHETHER PARENTS WOULD BE CONSULTED ON THE APPROPRIATE VOLUME OF THEIR CHILDREN'S HOMEWORK, MR CHAN REPLIED THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MAINTAINED AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF AD HOC OR STANDING COMMITTEES THROUGH WHICH PARENTAL VIEWS ON HOMEWORK AND OTHER ISSUES WERE SOLICITED AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
"THE
BALANCE
DEPARTMENT RECOGNISES THAT MORE DIRECT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT WILL HELP SCHOOLS DECIDE ON THE MOST APPROPRIATE BETWEEN WORK AND PLAY IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
"TO THIS END, THE HOME-SCHOOL CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED RECENTLY, FOLLOWING A RECOMMENDATION IN EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 5, TO PROMOTE MORE INTERACTION BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOLS, MR CHAN SAID.
PROCEDURES TO ASSESS TEXTBOOKS UNDER REGULAR REVIEW
THE EXISTING PROCEDURES FOR ASSESSING TEXTBOOKS ARE REVIEWED REGULARLY IN CONSULTATION WITH THE THREE LOCAL PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE PROCEDURES HAVE EVOLVED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND NO SEPARATE REVIEW OUTSIDE THIS ONGOING PROCESS IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY, HE ADDED.
A
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON JAMES TO KUN-SUN, MR CHAN EXPLAINED THAT THE REVIEW OF TEXTBOOKS WAS UNDERTAKEN BY TEXTBOOKS COMMITTEE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND IT'S TEXTBOOKS REVIEWING PANELS.
THE COMMITTEE AND THE REVIEWING PANELS ARE MADE UP OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, HEADS AND TEACHERS OF SCHOOLS, AND LECTURERS OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.
TWO
THE
EACH TEXTBOOK SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW IS ASSESSED BY AT LEAST REVIEWERS, TO SEE WHETHER IT FOLLOWS THE SYLLABUSES PREPARED BY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OR THE HONG KONG EXAMINATION AUTHORITY.
/THE REVIEWERS
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