XN000022-1978-10-28 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1978

ROLE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL IN EDUCATION

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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (PROFESSIONAL), MR. HO NGA-MING, TODAY (SATURDAY) OUTLINED THE ROLE THAT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL PLAYS IN PROVIDING A FULL EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD.

SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE CHIU KUNG PO MEMORIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, MR. HO SAID: THE WORK OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL IS TO GIVE EVERY CHILD ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITY AND HELP THAT WILL ENABLE HIM TO LIVE THROUGH THE PERIOD MOST FULLY, TO DEVELOP MENTALLY, MORALLY, SOCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY, AND TO ENTER ON THE NEXT STAGE OF HIS EDUCATION WITH ZEST AND CONFIDENCE.+

HE SAID STRESS SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE NEED TO ALLOW EACH CHILD TO LIVE HIS FULLEST POSSIBLE LIFE.

HE ALSO LISTED OUT THE THINGS WHICH HE FELT ENTRANTS TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS WERE EXPECTED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO.

AT THE END OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL STAGE, MR. HO SAID, CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK AS A CLASS AND TO TAKE A CLASS DIRECTION WITHOUT THE TEACHER HAVING TO EXPLAIN IT TO EACH CHILD INDIVIDUALLY.

+CHILDREN IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE TIME ALLOTTED EACH DAY FOR THE PREPARATION OF SET WORK, HE SAID, ADDING THAT +IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CHILDREN SHOULD KNOW HOW TO WORK UNAIDED.+

MR. HO ALSO SUGGESTED THAT EACH CHILD SHOULD BE GIVEN A COPY OF THE SYLLABUS OF WORK DONE SO THAT CHILDREN COULD KNOW WHAT GROUND THEY HAVE COVERED IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL.

IT WOULD BE A GREAT HELP IF THOROUGH TRAINING COULD BE GIVEN IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN SETTING DOWN WORK IN AN ORDERLY FASHION IN COPYING FROM A BOOK OR THE BLACKBOARD ACCURATELY IN THE CHILDREN EXPRESSING THEMSELVES CLEARLY AND IN LEARNING TO LISTEN, HE SAID.

FINALLY, MR. HO SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO READ FOR INFORMATION, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE USE OF AN INDEX FOR REFERENCE BE TAUGHT IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO HELP PUPILS IN THEIR EFFORT TO GLEAN INFORMATION.

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