XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.

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MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

TURNING TO THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION ISSUE, THE DIRECTOR SAID: +IT IS CLEAR AS HAS BEEN STATED BOTH IN THE GREEN AND IN THE WHITE PAPER THAT THERE ARE STRONG EDUCATIONAL ARGUMENTS FOR CHINESE AS THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION BUT TO FORCE ALL SCHOOLS TO USE CHINESE EXCLUSIVELY IS ANOTHER MATTER.+

THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT FORCED TEACHING IN ENGLISH UPON THE SCHOOLS BUT HAS RESPONDED TO PARENTAL DEMAND EXPRESSED THROUGH THE SPONSORS OF NEW SCHOOLS.

+NEVERTHELESS, UNDER THE WHITE PAPER ARRANGEMENTS I AM SURE THAT THERE WILL BE MORE USE OF CHINESE IN THE SCHOOLS FOR TEACHING GENERAL SUBJECTS AND THAT THIS IS RIGHT,+ HE SAID.

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE BALANCE.

+AND FOR THIS, MR. TOPLEY SAID, +1 AM SURE THAT WE SHALL REQUIRE TO DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO IMPROVING THE TEACHING OF BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH.

+NOT ONLY DO WE NEED AN INTERNAL LINGUA FRANCA WHICH CHINESE PROVIDES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME OPENING A DOOR TO THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF CHINA BUT ALSO STUDENTS NEED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE WITH WHICH TO LOOK AND SPEAK OUTWARD. IF WE BECOME TOO TURNED IN OUR OWN AFFAIRS WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO EARN OUR WAY WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD.+

THE DIRECTOR WAS SURE THAT CHINESE HAD A VITAL PART TO PLAY AS THE MOTHER TONGUE OF THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION, AND TO THIS END MAXIMUM EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF CHINESE TEACHING. IT WOULD BE HARD, HOWEVER, FOR ALL TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN BOTH LANGUAGES.

+IT WILL BE FOR PUPILS THEMSELVES AS THEY ADVANCE THROUGH THEIR SCHOOL YEARS, GUIDED BY THEIR PARENTS AND BY THEIR SCHOOLS, TO DECIDE WHERE AND HOW THEIR LINGUISTIC EFFORTS ARE TO BE MADE.

+THE ARRANGEMENTS WE ARE PROPOSING SHOULD GIVE MAXIMUM SCOPE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE DECISIONS TO BE MADE IN A SENSIBLE WAY,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION

REFERRING TO CRITICISM OF THE PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE A JUNIOR CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION, THE DIRECTOR SAID THE FACT THAT SINCE THE EXAMINATION WAS NOT TO BE INTRODUCED UNTIL 1982 +THERE MAY WELL BE CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SCENE AND THE NEEDS OF PUPILS. (CERTAINLY OUR ULTIMATE AIM SHOULD BE ABOLITION IF WE CAN HAVE PROMOTION FROM FORM 111 TO FORM V TO THE FULL EXTENT THAT IS NEEDED AND DESIRED. BUT WE ARE A VERY LONG WAY FROM THIS IDEAL STATE OF AFFAIRS.) BUT WE SHALL NEED SELECTION AT FORM 111 FOR MANY YEARS. THIS IS A FACT WHICH MUST BE FACED. THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW WE SELECT. THE PRINCIPALS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS MUST BE ABLE TO RELY ON SELECTION PROCEDURES WHICH ARE FAIR AND, MORE IMPORTANT, ARE SEEN TO BE FAIR BY THE PUBLIC.+

/HE SAID