XN000022-1974-08-30 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1974.

FAREWELL TO MR. JOHN CANNING

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. JOHN CANNING, WAS GIVEN A WARM FAREWELL BY HIS FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES TODAY WHEN THEY PRESENTED HIM WITH A RETIREMENT GIFT.

MR. CANNING, 49, WILL LEAVE HONG KONG ON MONDAY (SEPTEMBER 20 ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE AFTER 22 YEARS' SERVICE.

HE PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL PART IN THE PREPARATION OF THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE 1971, WHICH PROVIDES A HORE UP-TO-DATE LEGAL FRANEWORK FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CONDUCT OF SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG, AND WHICH IN PARTICULAR PROVIDED A SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION TO THE LONG-STANDING PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL SCHOOLS.

THE NEW ORDINANCE ALSO GAVE THE DIRECTOR POVERS TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN IN NEED OF PRIMARY EDUCATION WOULD BE ABLE TO SECURE PLACES SUITABLE TO THEIR NEEDS.

MR. CANNING WAS RESPONSBILE FOR A NEW CODE OF AID FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS THUS ENABLING THEM TO BE CONDUCTED ON A BASIS WHICH IS MORE GENEROUS AS TO FINANCIAL PROVISION, AND HAS SERVED THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF MAKING THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF TEACHERS IN AIDED SCHOOLS APPROXIMATE TO THOSE IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS. THE NEW PRIMARY CODE IS NOW UNDER ADVANCED CONSIDERATION.

CLOSELY RELATED TO THIS IMPORTANT ADVANCE HAS BEEN MR. CANNING'S CONTRIBUTION, OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, TO ESTABLISHING A SECURE FINANCIAL BASIS FOR THE SCHOOLS OF THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION.

IN ADDITION, THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS EXPANSION OF SCHOOL PLACES DURING MR. CANNING'S TENURE OF OFFICE AND THE AIMS OF THE 1976 SECONDARY EXPANSION PLAN HAVE ALREADY BEEN VIRTUALLY MET.

SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY, MR. CHARLES LOWE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION CADMINISTRATION) SAID: +ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIS KIND CAN EASILY GO UNNOTICED BY THE PUBLIC. BUT THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS ESSENTIAL TO PROGRESS. THEY CALL FOR GRASP OF DETAIL, COMPLETE FAMILIARITY WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF FINANCING AND PERSONNEL, AND ABOVE ALL REALISM IN ASSESSING THE POSSIBILITIES AND METHODS OF PROGRESS.

+THESE QUALITIES MR. CANNING HAS POSSESSED IN FULL MEASURE, AND IN DOING SO HAS MADE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ENDURING VALUE TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF HONG KONG,+ MR. LOVE SAID.

MR. HO NGA-MING, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (PROFESSIONAL), PAID A SIMILAR TRIBUTE ON BEHALF OF THE CHINESE OFFICERS AND THANKED MR. CANNING FOR HIS GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION AND FOR HIS APPRECIATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF CHINESE CULTURE ON EDUCATION.

/HE CONVEYED