XN000022-1976-08-09 — Page 4

MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 1976

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NEED FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD STUDIES CENTRES

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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. COLVYN HAYE SAID TODAY THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NUMBER OF FIELD STUDIES CENTRES IN HONG KONG TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR ADEQUATE AND SUITABLE FIELD WORK FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS PURSUING COURSES IN BIOLOGY AND RELATED SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY AT THE SENIOR SECONDARY LEVEL.

+FIVE THOUSAND PUPILS WHO ARE PURSUING MATRICULATION LEVEL COURSES IN BIOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY NEED TO DO FIELD WORK AS PART OF THEIR COURSES,+ MR. HAYE STRESSED.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A FIVE-DAY FIELD STUDIES AND RECREATION CAMP, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND EVER ORGANISED FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, AT THE SAI KUNG OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE (THE FORMER SÅI KUNG ARMY CAMP) AT TUI MIN HỒI,

THE CAMP IS ORGANISED JOINTLY BY THE SCIENCE SUBJECTS SECTION AND THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

MR. HAYE SAID THAT SINCE MAY OF THIS YEAR A WORKING PARTY ON FIELD STUDIES CENTRES HAS HELD MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS CHAIRED BY PROFESSOR L.B. THROWER, HEAD OF THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

+THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. INCLUDING MY OWN, HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED AT THESE MEETINGS. HEADS OF SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PRINCIPALS OF SCHOOLS OPERATING FORM 6 AND/OR MIDDLE 6 CLASSES ARE VERY MUCH IN FAVOUR OF A FIELD STUDIES CENTRE,+ THE DIRECTOR SAID,

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS WEEK'S CAMP IS TO MAKE THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND THE PROSPECTIVE SPONSORING BODY, PO LEUNG KUK AWARE OF THE USEFULNESS AND FUNCTION OF A FIELD STUDIES CENTRE.

IT IS ALSO TO PROVIDE THE WORKING PARTY WITH CONCRETE SUGGESTIONS AND GUIDELINES ON THE PLANNING, ORGANISATION AND CONDUCT OF A FIELD STUDIES CENTRE FOR HONG KONG PUPILS.

+DURING THESE FIVE DAYS, PUPILS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THREE DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS, 1.E. MANGROVE, GRASSLAND AND FRESH WATER- THEY WILL ALSO BE GIVEN SOME KNOWLEDGE OF COUNTRYSIDE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE PART IN A PROTOTYPE NATURE TRAIL WALK AND ORGANISED RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

+1 MUST SAY THAT FROM AN EDUCATIONAL POINT OF VIEW THIS SCHOOL FIELD STUDIES AND RECREATION CAMP PROVIDES A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PUPILS AND I HOPE IT WILL PROVE VERY SUCCESSFU AND BE THE FIRST OF A NUMBER OF CENTRES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND, POSSIBLY, IN THE OUTLYING ISLANDS, THE DIRECTOR SAID.

/IN HIS