XN000022-1977-11-22 — Page 6

5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1977

VISITING PROFESSOR SUGGESTS SOCIAL STUDIES CORE SYLLABUS

******

HONG KONG SHOULD MOVE RIGHT AHEAD WITH A COMPULSORY CAREFULLY-DESIGNED SOCIAL STUDIES CORE SYLLABUS TO OCCUPY THE TIME NOW DEVOTED TO GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND HEALTH EDUCATION, A PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, PROF. ANGUS GUNN SUGGESTED TODAY.

ADDRESS ING 30 SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AT A SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, PROF. GUNN, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA SAID HONG KONG WAS IN A FAVOURABLE POSITION TO DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM.

+THERE IS CLEAR LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP, HE SAID, +AND THERE HAS BEEN A WISE PILOT APPROACH ADOPTED IN WHICH A GROUP OF TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FAMILIAR ISE THEMSELVES WITH THE PROGRAMME. THESE TEACHERS CAN NOW FORM THE SPEARHEAD FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION.+

HOWEVER, HE CAUTIONED THAT +A GOOD DEAL OF WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE - PREPARATION OF MATERIALS, IN-SERVICE, REFINEMENT OF AIMS AND PROCEDURES, OVERCOMING FEARS AND CONCERNS OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS.+

+A STUDENT TAKING A SOCIAL STUDIES SEQUENCE IN FORMS 1 TO 3 WILL BE IN NO WAY HANDICAPPED IF HE OR SHE THEN CHOOSES TO MOVE INTO MORE SPECIALISED STUDIES AT FORM 4 LEVEL,+ HE POINTED OUT.

ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCE IN NORTH AMERICA, PROF. GUNN SAID SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULA HAVE BEEN SO SHAPED AS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF VIRTUALLY 100 PER CENT OF YOUTH OF SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE.

1

/6

+