XN000022-1978-09-04 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1978

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STUDENT GUIDANCE SCHEME

+BRIDGE BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL+

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A STUDENT GUIDANCE SCHEME SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SERVING ABOUT 250,000 PUPILS IN 341 PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN EARLY DECEMBER WOULD PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT BRIDGE BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (PROFESSIONAL), MR. HO NGA-MING, SAID TODAY.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE GRANTHAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IN GASCOIGNE ROAD, KOWLOON, TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF A THREE-MONTH TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR 79 NON-GRADUATE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO WILL SERVE AS STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS IN THESE SCHOOLS.

MR. HO SAID FEW PEOPLE WERE UNAWARE OF THE CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN RECENT YEARS TO PROVIDE MORE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES.

+SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IS AN INTRINSIC PART OF THIS SERVICE,+ HE SAID, AND MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE SINCE A TRIAL SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED ON A SMALL SCALE IN NOVEMBER, 1974.

MR. HO SAID THE BROAD OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME WERE TO HELP STUDENTS WITH PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE IR STUDIES, BEHAVIOUR OR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THESE STRESSES.

IN PLANNING THE STRUCTURE OF A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE AND THE PART TO BE PLAYED BY EVERYONE CONNECTED WITH THE EDUCATION AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASISE THAT THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN MUST REMAIN VERY MUCH THE CONCERN OF TEACHERS.

IT THEREFORE FELL TO TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND WHICH MODES OF CHILD BEHAVIOUR WERE LIKELY TO DEVELOP INTO UNFORTUNATE ADULT TRAITS AND WHICH WERE LIKELY TO GROW INTO DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES.

TEACHERS MUST BE ABLE TO DISCERN THE FIRST SIGNS OF MALADJUSTMENT IN A CHILD AND REDIRECT HIM INTO MORE DESIRABLE FORMS OF CONDUCT.

+CASES OF ANTI-SOCIAL OR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO A SINGLE CAUSE OR A MULTIPLICITY OF CAUSES,+ MR. HO SAID.

+MOREOVER, IT IS TRUE THAT SOME BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS ARE CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH THE CHILD'S FAMILY BACKGROUND AND HIS PARENTS' SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND ARE LARGELY BEYOND SCHOOL CONTROL.

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/+HOWEVER,