XN000022-1978-01-12 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1978

TOPLEY APPEALS TO A IDED SCHOOLS TO EXPAND SPECIAL EDUCATION ******

GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS WILL BE CALLED ON TO PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN EXTENDING SPECIAL EDUCATION TO HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, SAID THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, TODAY WHEN HE ADDRESSED HEADS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS AT ST. PAUL'S CONVENT SCHOOL, CAUSEWAY BAY.

SPEAKING ON THE +EXPANSION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AT SECONDARY LEVEL+ AT A MEETING ORGANISED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF HEADS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS, MR. TOPLEY EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WAS TO PROVIDE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL INCLUDING HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

TO PROVIDE MORE PLACES FOR THE HANDICAPPED, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO DEPEND ON AIDED SCHOOLS -- IN ADDITION TO GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, MR. TOPLEY SAID.

IN PARTICULAR

MR. TOPLEY STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ASSISTANCE OF AIDED SCHOOLS IN PROVIDING THE KIND OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SUITABLE FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

TO ACHIEVE THIS END, THE DIRECTOR SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD START SPECIAL CLASSES FOR THE PARTIALLY HEARING, PARTIALLY SIGHTED, MALADJUSTED, AND SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

SEMINARS WOULD BE HELD FROM NEXT MONTH FOR PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS OF SCHOOLS INTERESTED IN OPERATING SPECIAL CLASSES FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN SEPTEMBER.

AS AN INCENTIVE, FULL-TIME SPECIAL CLASS TEACHERS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALLOWANCE EQUIVALENT TO ONE INCREMENT ON THE IR SALARY SCALE WHILE UNDERGOING TRAINING. AFTER ONE YEAR IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSE THEY WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER INCREMENT.

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