XN000022-1976-11-06 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1976

EVOLUTION OF EDUCATIONAL AIMS

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AIMS, METHODS AND ATTITUDES TO EDUCATION, TO BE OF REAL WORTH, ARE ALWAYS IN COURSE OF EVOLUTION AND COMPARATIVE VALUES ARE CONTINUALLY CHANGING, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (PROFESSIONAL), MR. HO NGA-MING TOLD THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE HONG KONG TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION THIS AFTERNOON.

+HOWEVER, + HE ADDED, +ANY SUCCESS IN BRINGING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS MUST DEPEND, TO A LARGE EXTENT, ON THE INITIATIVE AND ENERGY OF THE SCHOOL HEADS AND THEIR STAFF.

+THE TEACHERS, IN PARTICULAR, ARE AT THE GRASS-ROOT LEVEL OF THE SYSTEM. IN SPREADING AND EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW IDEAS AND APPROACHES THEY HAVE AN INDISPENSABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN ORDER TO FULFIL THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL. +

IN FACT, MR. HO POINTED OUT, THE HIGH REPUTATION WHICH MANY SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG HAD BUILT UP WAS A LASTING TRIBUTE TO THE TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL SKILL, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.

TOUCHING ON THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR SPOKE ABOUT THE BROAD AIMS OF EDUCATION AND THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SCHOOL.

+THE AIM OF EDUCATION, HE SAID, +SHOULD BE TO DEVELOP TO THE FULL THE POTENTIALITIES OF EVERY CHILD AT SCHOOL, IN ACCORD ALWAYS

ITH THE GENERAL GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH HE IS A MEMBER.

MR. HO SUMMED UP THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SCHOOL AS BEING:

* TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS BEST SUITED

TO INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT,

* TO STIMULATE AND GUIDE HEALTHY GROWTH IN THIS ENVIRONMENT,

* TO ENABLE CHILDREN TO ACQUIRE THE HABITS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE,

INTERESTS AND ATTITUDES OF MIND WHICH THEY WILL NEED FOR LIVING A FULL AND USEFUL LIFE.

* TO SET STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR, EFFORT AND ATTAINMENT BY

WHICH THEY CAN MEASURE THEIR OWN CONDUCT.

HE SAID: IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE SCHOOL CAN FULFIL THESE FUNCTIONS ONLY IF IT INSISTS ON THOROUGH AND EFFECTIVE WORK IN THE VARIOUS DAILY TASKS IT PROVIDES.

+HOWEVER, THE ULTIMATE TEST MUST BE WHETHER IT ASSISTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIZENS WHO DESIRE THE COMMON GOOD AND ARE PREPARED TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO SECURE AND MAINTAIN IT - MEN AND WOMEN, THAT IS, WHO CARE FOR ALL THAT IS LOVELY AND WORTHY,

+AS SEE IT, THE FULLY EDUCATED PERSON IS ONE WHO IS

I ENLIGHTENED IN HIS INTERESTS, IMPERSONAL IN HIS JUDGEMENTS READY IN HIS SYMPATHY FOR WHATEVER IS JUST AND RIGHT, EFFECTIVE IN THE WORK HE SETS HIMSELF TO DO, AND ILLING TO LEND A HAND TO ANYONE WHO IS IN NEED OF IT. +