XN000022-1976-10-01 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1976

EXAMINATION OF CURRICULUM IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

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A WORKING PARTY HAS RECENTLY BEEN SET UP TO LOOK INTO THE CURRICULUM IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), MR. DANIEL WATERS SAID THIS AFTERNOON.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF AN INDUCTION COURSE FOR NEWLY APPOINTED TEACHERS IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AT THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE.

MR. WATERS SAID MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY +ARE EXAMINING IN DETAIL THE SYLLABUSES OF ALL PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, THIS WORKING PARTY, ASSISTED BY PRINCIPALS AND STAFF OF PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, WILL MAKE POSITIVE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD ANY CHANGES BE FOUND NECESSARY.

ANOTHER WORKING PARTY WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEEN FORMED WITHIN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING CAREFULLY INTO THE BALANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION IN RELATION TO TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.+

HE SAID IT REMAINED TO BE SEEN IF IT AGREED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS LAID DOWN BY THE WORKING PARTY OF THE FORMER INDUSTRIAL TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NOW KNOWN AS THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL).

IN ITS REPORT, THE COMMITTEE HAD RECOMMENDED THAT, IN THE FIRST YEAR OF A PREVOCATIONAL COURSE, THE GENERAL CONTENT OF THE CURRICULUM SHOULD BE 55 PER CENT WHILE THE PRACTICAL CONTENT SHOULD BE 45 PER CENT.

IN THE SECOND YEAR, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF TIME SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO BOTH GENERAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICAL EDUCATION= AND IN THE THIRD AND FINAL YEAR, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT 45 PER CENT OF THE TIME SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO GENERAL AND 55 PER CENT TO PRACTICAL EDUCATION,

MR. WATERS CALLED ON PARTICIPANTS OF THE INDUCTION COURSE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.

HE WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER THEY AGREED WITH THE PROPORTIONS MENTIONED AS THE MOST SUITABLE AND WHETHER PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION SHOULD PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON GENERAL EDUCATION OR SHOULD THERE BE MORE EMPHASIS ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR EMPHASISED THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RELIED A GREAT DEAL ON FEEDBACK.

HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT IF IT WERE DECIDED TO REDUCE THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION CONTENT OF THE CURRICULUM OF A PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL AND CONSIDERABLY INCREASE THE GENERAL EDUCATION CONTENT THEN PUPILS OF SUCH A SCHOOL WOULD POSSIBLY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO ENTER THE SECOND YEAR OF AN APPRENTICESHIP OR THE SECOND YEAR OF A PART- TIME DAY-RELEASE COURSE IN A TECHNICAL INSTITUTE.

/+THIS POINT