7
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1976
ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUPILS
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WHILE UNIVERSAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG IS EXPANDING SOON INTO THE SECONDARY LEVEL WITH TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS - BOTH ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL FLOURISHING, SCHOOLS MUST PLAY A VERY LARGE PART IN PREPARING CHILDREN FOR THEIR ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES, THE ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (ADMINISTRATION), MR. BASIL BOARD SAID THIS AFTERNOON.
ADDRESSING THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE WORLD-WIDE SEA TRAINING SCHOOL AT THE CITY HALL, MR. BOARD SAID: IT IS NOT JUST THAT THEY MUST LEARN BASIC SKILLS, SO THAT THEY MAY BE EMPLOYABLE, AND LEARN TO LEARN, SO THAT THEY MAY IMPROVE THEMSELVES AND MASTER THE MACHINES THAT ARE REPLACING PHYSICAL LABOUR- THEY MUST ALSO LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE HUMAN WORLD, SO THAT THEY MAY LEAD LIVES SATISFYING TO THEMSELVES AND TO SOCIETY. +
THIS WAS NOT NEW. +WHAT IS NEW IS THAT EVERYONE, THE WHOLE POPULATION, NOW NEEDS TO DEVELOP BOTH THESE SKILLS AND THIS MATURITY AND RESPONSIBILITY, MR. BOARD SAID. THE DAYS OF A HANDFUL OF 'BORN' TEACHERS ÉDUCATING A MINORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE LONG PAST.+
GIVING AN EXAMPLE, HE MENTIONED THE CHANGE THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE HUMAN EFFORT INVOLVED IN MOVING GOODS BY SEA AT PRESENT COMPARED WITH A GENERATION AGO.
SINCE CHANGE HAD SO ACCELERATED IN THE LAST FEW DECADES, TODAY'S GRADUATES COULD OBVIOUSLY NOT EXPECT TO EARN THEIR LIVING IN 20 YEARS' TIME WITH THE SKILLS THEY NOW POSSESSED.
+EVER-ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY AND EVER-INCREASING CAPITAL INVESTMENT PER EMPLOYEE WILL DEMAND NOT ONLY THE WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO LEARN MORE AND MORE, BUT ALSO QUALITIES OF CHARACTER THAT WILL JUSTIFY THE TREMENDOUS TRUST PLACED IN SUCH MEN AS YOU,+ MR. BOARD TOLD THE GRADUATES.
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR STRESSED THAT +SOCIETY NEEDS TO IMPART TO VERY LARGE NUMBERS OF TEACHERS, AND NOT JUST A GIFTED, DEDICATED FEW, A NEW PROFESSIONALISM WHICH WILL MEAN FAR MORE THAN A CERTAIN LEVÉL OF KNOWLEDGE PLUS COMPETENCE IN INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES, THOUGH EVEN TO ACHIEVE THAT IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY MAY REQUIRE CONSIDERABLY MORE TIME AND RESOURCES THAN ARE DEVOTED TO IT AT PRESENT.
+BUT THE CHALLENGE GOES DEEPER THAN THAT, AND TO MEET IT WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN EXPERT ADVICE WE NEED ALSO THE DEEP AND INFORMED INTEREST AND SUPPORT OF EMPLOYERS AND OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE FUTURE OF WHICH, IN THE LONG RUN, IS AT STAKE.+
MR. BOARD CONGRATULATED THE GRADUATES FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THEIR COURSES AND THE NEW STUDENTS FOR NOT ONLY HAVING GAINED PLACES IN THE TRAINING SCHOOL BUT ALSO FOR HAVING ADOPTED A CLEAR, SPECIFIC A IM IN LIFE.
HE PRAISED THE SCHOOL FOR IMPARTING AND DEMANDING HIGH STANDARDS.
MRS. BOARD DISTRIBUTED CERTIFICATES AND PRIZES TO THE GRADUATES.
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