XN000022-1977-03-29 — Page 6

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1977

EDUCATION BOARD MEMBERS VISIT N.T. SCHOOLS

*****

THREE EMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WENT TO THE NEW TERRITORIES THIS MORNING TO VISIT THREE SCHOOLS.

THE GROUP - MR. HENRY LIM, MR. WONG WAN-TIN AND PROFESSOR M.A. BRIMER - SPENT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AT THE SHA TIN PUBLIC SCHOOL, AN AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL.

THE SCHOOL, FOUNDED IN 1954, BEGAN WITH EIGHT CLASSROOMS AND IN 1961 SIX MORE CLASSROOMS WERE ADDED. RUN BI-SESSIONALLY, THE SCHOOL HAS AN ENROLMENT OF 744.

ACCOMPANIED BY MR. TANG YAN, SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICER, NEW TERRITORIES (EAST), THE GROUP THEN WENT TO TAI PO TO

VISIT THE TA! KWONG MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE 36 ASSISTED PRIVATE SCHOOLS SCHEDULED TO BECOME FULLY AIDED,

THE SCHOOL, WHICH BEGAN OPERATION IN 1962, IS WITHIN THE PREMISES OF TAI KWONG YUEN AT THE FOOT OF KAM SHAN. IT HAS 961 PUPILS IN 21 CLASSROOMS.

THE SCHOOL IS NOTED FOR ITS VARIOUS EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. ITS CHINESE FOLK DANCE GROUP AND THE SCHOOL BAND ARE WELL KNOWN IN THE TAI PO DISTRICT.

AFTER 45 MINUTES AT THE SCHOOL, THE GROUP PROCEEDED TO THE TUNG YUEN SCHOOL, A TYPICAL SMALL RURAL SCHOOL WITH TWO CLASSROOMS AND AN ENROLMENT OF 26 PUPILS.

THE SCHOOL, SITUATED IN A SMALL VILLAGE HIGH UP ON A HILL, IS AIDED. OPENED IN 1949, THE SCHOOL HAS A RAIN SHELTER, A SPÉCIAL FEATURE IN RURAL SCHOOLS OF THIS TYPE. IT WAS ONLY IN RECENT YEARS THAT A MOTOR TRACK WAS BUILT CONNECTING IT TO TING KOK ROAD, THE MAIN TRUNK ROAD ALONGSIDE TOLO HARBOUR.

THE BOARD MEMBERS SPENT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR IN THE SCHOOL.

AT ALL THREE SCHOOLS, THE GROUP HAD TALKS WITH THE HEADS AND SOME TEACHERS. THEY ALSO CHATTED WITH SOME PUPILS.

THE TOUR - THE THIRTEENTH IN THE CURRENT SERIES - IS ORGANISED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO ENABLE MEMBERS TO FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION.

16