XN000022-1978-10-31 — Page 2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1978.

GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

IN GOLDEN JUBILEE FINAL REPORT

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THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE FINAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY INTO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD GOLDEN JUBILEE SECONDARY SCHOOL PUBLISHED TODAY.

THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY WAS APPOINTED LAST MAY TO RECOMMEND MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID A RECURRENCE OF A SIMILAR STATE OF AFFAIRS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY IN ITS INTERIM REPORT PUBLISHED IN JULY, A NEW SCHOOL, THE NG YUK SCHOOL, HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN ADDITION TO THE ST. TERESA'S SCHOOL NOW OPERATING IN THE PREMISES OF THE FORMER PRECIOUS BLOOD GOLDEN JUBILEE SECONDARY SCHOOL.

COMMENTING ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FINAL REPORT, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THEY WERE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE AND MEASURES WOULD BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THEM, SUBJECT TO ANY ADVICE OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY AND THE VOTING OF ANY NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

THE REPORT LISTED AMONG ITS RECOMMENDATIONS THE NEED TO IMPROVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHING STAFF AND SCHOOL MANAGEMENT, BETWEEN TEACHING STAFF AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND BETWEEN HEADS OF SCHOOLS AND THAT DEPARTMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO WAYS OF IMPROVING CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION AND HAD PUT FORWARD SPECIFIC PROPOSALS TO ALL SCHOOL COUNCILS IN JUNE THIS YEAR.

ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPABILITY OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO GRIEVANCES, PROPOSALS WOULD ALSO BE MADE SOON.

EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WOULD BE REQUIRED ON THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT, ESPECIALLY ON THE ROLES OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS, PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AND ON THE GREATER INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN SCHOOLS AFFAIRS.

+THE GOVERNMENT REAFFIRMS ITS BELIEF IN THE SYSTEM OF AIDED SCHOOLS AS THE PRINCIPAL MEANS OF PROVIDING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN HONG KONG,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID, +AND REMAINS CONFIDENT THAT PARTICIPATING BODIES AND INDIVIDUALS ARE SUFFICIENTLY ADAPTABLE AND ALIVE TO THE GROWING NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SCHOOLS.+

IN PUBLISHING THE FINAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY THE GOVERNMENT TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THÉ COMMITTEE FOR COMPLETING THEIR TASK WITH EXEMPLARY ENERGY AND DEVOTION.

+THE RESULT OF THEIR UNSTINTED LABOUR IS A PENETRATING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING DOCUMENT WHICH DESERVES WIDE RECOGNITION BOTH FOR ITS SCRUPULOUS FAIRNESS AND FOR ITS POSITIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AIMED AT PREVENTING THE RECURRENCE OF SIMILAR SITUATIONS, + HE ADDED,

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