XN000022-1977-02-23 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1977

SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS URGED TO DISCUSS TOPICAL PROBLEMS

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TIME MUST BE FOUND BY SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR AN INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS SO THAT STUDENTS CAN BE MADE TO REALISE THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, SAID THIS AFTERNOON.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE NINTH HONG KONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' SEMINAR AT MORRISON HOUSE.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN DELEGATES FROM 28 SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE ATTENDING THE THREE-DAY SEMINAR, THE ORGANISERS OF WHICH ARE ALL STUDENTS.

MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOULD TRY THEIR BEST TO WIDEN THE IR EDUCATIONAL HORIZON.

+FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS WHO SPECIALISE IN MATHEMATICS AND THE SCIENCES SHALL BE PREVENTED FROM LEAVING SCHOOL LEARNED IN THEIR OWN LITTLE COMPARTMENT BUT IGNORANT AND UNEDUCATED IN ALL MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST AND CULTURE WHICH ARE REGARDED AS ELEMENTS OF CITIZENSHIP.+

+MORE SERIOUS EVEN THAN AN ABSENCE OF KNOWLEDGE OF MATTERS CONCERNING CITIZENSHIP IS AN ALL TOO FREQUENT LACK OF INTEREST,+ HE EMPHASISED.

+ONE CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND HOW SOME STUDENTS, DEVELOPING QUICKLY MENTALLY, BECOME SO ENTHRALLED BY THEIR EXPANDING . KNOWLEDGE OF AND INTEREST IN, SAY, THE SCIENCES THAT THEY HAVE LITTLE TIME OR ENERGY LEFT FOR OTHER IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THEIR EDUCATION.+

MR. TOPLEY COMPLIMENTED THE SEMINAR ORGANISERS FOR HAVING GREAT FORETHOUGHT IN CHOOSING A VERY EXCITING THEME +WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION DO I WANT?+

THE DIRECTOR SAID HE DID NOT INTEND TO INFLUENCE THE DELEGATES' THINKING ON THE THEME, WHICH INDEED OFFERED WIDE SCOPE FOR DISCUSSION.

+YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO AIR YOUR VIEWS FREELY ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I SHALL BE INTERESTED IN THEM WHEN THEY ARE CRYSTALLIZED IN YOUR REPORT,+ HE SAID.

THE REPORT ON THE LAST SEMINAR HELD ABOUT A YEAR AGO WAS DESCRIBED BY THE DIRECTOR AS +ADMIRABLY BRIEF, THOUGHTFUL AND TO THE POINT.+

/BUT