XN000022-1976-07-31 — Page 3

SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1976.

PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL LEAVERS

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MANY PUPILS CLAMOUR TO JOIN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL LEAVERS, THE ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), MR. DANIEL WATERS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

ADDRESSING THE JOINT SPEECH DAY OF FOUR CARITAS PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY HALL OF CARITAS HOUSE IN CAINE ROAD, HE SAID MANY OF THE SCHOOL LEAVERS WOULD GO DIRECTLY INTO EMPLOYMENT IN INDUSTRY.

+BECAUSE THEY HAVE STUDIED A CRAFT IN-DEPTH THEY ARE NORMALLY ALLOWED TO ENTER DIRECTLY INTO THE SECOND YEAR OF AN APPRENTICESHIP,+ HE SAID. +AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THEIR PREVIOUS STUDIES IN ONE OF YOUR SCHOOLS THEY ARE NORMALLY ALLOWED TO ENTER THE SECOND YEAR OF A PART-TIME DAY-RELEASE COURSE AT A TECHNICAL INSTITUTE.+

MR. WATERS POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG WAS A BIG BUSTLING CITY FULL OF ACTIVITY AND IT NEEDED A LARGE WORKFORCE.

+MANY EXCITING PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY OR WILL MATERIALISE WITHIN THE NEAR FUTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE THE NEW UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.

+THEN THERE IS THE LARGE NETWORK OF ROADS AND THE MANY LARGE BUILDING PROJECTS BOTH PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT -- WHICH ARE UNDERWAY OR WILL TAKE SHAPE, HE SAID.

MR. WATERS TOLD THE GRADUATES THAT IT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR THEM TO TAKE STOCK OF THEMSELVES, TO SIZE UP THEIR CAPABILITIES AND DRAW UP PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

+THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BEING AMBITIOUS, BUT I MUST WARN YOU NOT TO BE TOO AMBITIOUS,

+AFTER YOU HAVE DRAWN UP A PLAN, IT IS UP TO YOU TO CARRY IT OUT. DON'T LET ANYTHING PUT YOU OFF ACHIEVING IT, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOURSELF,+ HE SAID.

MR. WATERS POINTED OUT THAT THEY ALSO HAD A DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE. +THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN SOME ORGANISATION THAT DOES WORK FOR CHARITY, HE SAID.

HE ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE ALL WORK AND NO PLAY. +EVERYONE OF US SHOULD HAVE SOME HOBBY WHICH WE ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OUR WORK-A-DAY LIFE, HE SAID.

FINALLY, MR. WATERS PAID TRIBUTE TO THE CHINESE PARENTS +FOR THE WAY THEY ARE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE ALMOST ANYTHING TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.+

+IN GENERAL, THIS IS COMMENDABLE, ALTHOUGH ONE SOMETIMES FEELS THAT SOME PARENTS OVER-SACRAFICE TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A FIRST- RATE ACADEMIC EDUCATION, WHEN POSSIBLY AN ALTERNATIVE FORM, PERHAPS IN SOME TECHNICAL FIELD, MIGHT BE MORE SUITABLE, HE SAID.

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