XN000022-1972-09-19 — Page 8

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Tuesday, September 19, 1972

REGIONAL MESTING ON EDUCATION OPENS IN HONG KONG

The Director of Education, Mr. J. Canning, today spoke about the newly

approved policy on teacher education in Hong Kong.

The policy is designed to substantially increase the annual output

of teachers, particularly for the lower secondary classes.

"Besides the provision of more trained teachers", he said, "there is

the question of how best to update the knowledge of our existing trained teachers".

For this very purpose, courses of training have been provided by the

inspectorate of the Education Department.

He added that it would probably become necessary "as time goes on"

to increase the length of training of the teachers. At present non-specialist

teachers undertake a two-year course and in certain subjects there is a third

year course in the colleges of Education.

Mr. Canning was speaking at the opening of the Third Annual Meeting of

the Governing Board of the Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics

(RECSAM) at Lee Gardens Hotel,

RECSAM is a project of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education

Organisation (SEAMEO) which has been established by the governments of Southeast

Asian countries to promote regional co-operation in education.

Among those taking part in the five-day meeting are delegates from

the eight SEAMEO member countries, RECSAM officials, consultants from Britain,

the United States and representatives from universities, the Polytechnic and

Colleges of Education in Hong Kong.

Note to Editors:

Copies of the full text of the speech are

available separately in the press boxes.

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