XN000022-1978-03-28 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1978

MR. TOPLEY NOTED THAT A NUMBER OF GENERAL OR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS HAD IMPORTANT VOCATIONAL USES. KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES, OF MATHEMATICS, WAS VITAL IN ORDER TO WORK EFFECTIVELY IN THE WORLD.

HE SAID THAT EDUCATION NEEDED TO PREPARE THE YOUNG FOR LIFE AND NOT ONLY FOR WORKING LIFE.

+ IT IS NECESSARY TO LEARN TO UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO ONE'S ENVIRONMENT, TO LEARN TO GET ON WITH OTHER PEOPLE, TO MANAGE ONE'S PERSONAL AND FAMILY AFFAIRS, TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCEITY AND ITS GOVERNANCE AND TO LEARN TO ENJOY ONE'S LIFE,+ HE ADDED.

THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT THAT IN TRADITIONAL TIMES AGRICULTURE ABSORBED THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WORKING, AND THERE WERE FEW OTHER VOCATIONS. EDUCATION IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WAS LARGELY VOCATIONAL AND LEARNING WAS FROM ONE'S FAMILY OR THE MASTER TO WHOM ONE WAS APPRENTICED. IT WAS OFTEN CLEAR AT BIRTH WHAT VOCATION A CHILD WOULD FOLLOW.

+TODAY, + HE SAID, +OUR FATES ARE NOT SEALED AT BIRTH OR EVEN WHEN WE LEAVE SCHOOL. MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES ARE OPEN AND MANY CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY WILL TAKE PLACE DURING A LIFE TIME. THUS WE MUST EDUCATE FOR CHANGE AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE PREPARE PUPILS WITH A BROAD BASIS OF UNDERSTANDING.+

AS REGARDS TECHNICAL SUBJECTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO GIVE TO AS MANY PUPILS ÁS POSSIBLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, TO MAKE INTELLIGENT CHOICES ABOUT THE IR SCHEMES OF STUDY AND TO PROVIDE AN ENLIVENING MIXTURE OF SUBJECTS IN SCHOOLS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT COURSES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES WERE DEVISED IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL. THERE WAS ALSO CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE POLYTECHNIC TO ENSURE THAT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES WERE CONSISTENT WITH POLYTECHNIC COURSES AND THAT STUDENT TRANSFER WAS FULLY POSSIBLE. COURSES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES CONVEYED SPECIFIC SKILLS BUT WITH A BASIS OF THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING SO THAT STUDENTS COULD LATER ADD NEW SKILLS TO THEIR REPERTOIRE.

COURSES IN PRE-VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WERE INTENDED TO BE PRE-VOCATIONAL AND TO READY THE PUPILS BOTH FOR LIFE AND FOR WORK IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, HE ADDED.

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