XN000022-1978-07-05 — Page 7

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..EDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1978

LEGCO UNOFFICIALS COMMENT ON EDUCATION GREEN PAPER

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THREE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY COMMENTED IN DEPTH ON THE PROGRAMME OF DEVELOPMENT FOR SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER.

TOMORROW (THURSDAY) ANOTHER NINE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL

GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE GREEN PAPER.

AN AD HCC GROUP OF UNOFFICIALS WAS FORMED TO CONSIDER THE GREEN PAPER SOON AFTER IT WAS PUBLISHED LAST NOVEMBER. DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR DELIBERATIONS THEY MET REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL BODIES AND STUDIED NO LESS THAN 16 THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED PAPERS PRODUCED BY THE UMELCC SECRETARIAT.

MCVING A MOTION TO DEBATE THE GREEN PAPER IN THE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON, CONVENER OF THE AD HOC GROUP. THE HON. Q.. LEE SAID MEMBERS OF THE GROUP HAVE EXAMINED IN DETAIL THE FULL RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED AND WHILE THERE WERE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ARRIVE AT A CONCENSUS ON A NUMBER OF MAJOR POINTS.

ALLOCATION AND PROVISION CF SENIOR SECONDARY PLACES

THE AD HOC GROUP WAS DIVIDED ON THE ORIGINAL SUGGESTION THAT THERE SHOULD BE A PUBLIC EXAMINATION FOR FORM IN LEAVERS PROCEEDING TO FORM IV.

THE GOVERNMENT'S SUBSEQUENT DECISION LAST MAY NOT TO INTRODUCE A FULL-SCALE PUBLIC EXAMINATION BUT TO INSTITUTE A SYSTEM OF SELECTION AND ALLOCATION EASED MAINLY ON INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS SCALED BY A MONITORING TEST WAS WELCOMED AS A MORE ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE.

BUT AS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE MONITORING TEST IS TO SCALE THE ASSESSMENTS OF THE SCHOOLS, ONE OF TWO MEMBERS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE DECISION TO RESTRICT THE TEST TO THE THREE EASIC SUBJECTS OF CHINESE, ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS WOULD LEAD TO THE SCHOOLS PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON THESE SUBJECTS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS, THEREBY DEFEATING THE PURPOSE OF A MORE GENERALISED EDUCATION REQUIRED IN THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SECTOR.

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THE GROUP ALSC FELT THAT WHILE UNDER PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES

IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT SUBSIDISED

SENIOR SECONDARY PLACES FOR ALL FORM III LEAVERS, UNIVERSAL PROVISION SHOULD BE THE LONG-TERM GOAL,

FORMS IV AND V CURRICULUM

THE GROUP CONCURRED WITH THE PROPOS L TO BROADEN THE CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE MORE EMPHASIS ON PRACTICAL AND TECHNICAL SUEJECTS. AMD, TO THIS END, THEY ADVOCATES THAT CENTRAL WORKSHOPS SHOULD BE SET UP TO PROVIZE THE RESOURCES AND FACILITIES FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE THEN.

/PROVISION