XN000022-1978-11-15 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1978

STEPS TAKEN TO IMPROVE CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHING

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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE AND EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT TO EMPHASISE THE USE OF THE LANGUAGE AS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN DAILY LIFE, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. TOPLEY WAS REPLYING TO THE VARIOUS POINTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.

THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS AND AIMS, HE SAID, WERE REFLECTED IN RECENT REVISIONS OF SUGGESTED SYLLABUSES, IN STEPS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TEXTBOOKS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF MORE EFFECTIVE TEACHING AIDS.

+ IN THE FOREFRONT OF THIS MOVEMENT IS THE CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHING CENTRE WHICH HAS BEEN RUNNING REGULAR IN-SERVICE COURSES FOR TEACHERS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1974, MR. TOPLEY SAID.

ON THE QUESTION OF THE TEACHING OF SIMPLIFIED CHINESE CHARACTERS, HE SAID THAT AS LONG AS THE TRADITIONAL SCRIPT REMAINED THE NORMAL METHOD OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IN OUR COMMUNITY IT WOULD BE MOST UNWISE, AND INDEED BE DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE PUPILS, TO STOP TEACHING IT IN THE SCHOOLS.

SIMPLIFIED CHARACTERS, HE SAID, WOULD MORE CONVENIENTLY BE UNDERTAKEN BY INDIVIDUALS WHO FOUND A NEED FOR THIS SPECIFIC SKILL.

ON REMARKS BY THE HON. JAMES WU ON THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY'S DECISION TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS OF THE HIGHER LEVEL EXAMINATION, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE AUTHORITY'S BAS IC CONSIDERATION WAS TO KEEP ENTRY RESTRICTIONS TO A MINIMUM.

+SINCE THE HIGHER LEVEL EXAMINATION MAY BE TAKEN EITHER IN ENGLISH OR IN CHINESE CANDIDATES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE OBTAINED IN THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION AT LEAST GRADE E IN EITHER LANGUAGE.

+ IN MAKING THESE EXAMINATION REGULATIONS THE AUTHORITY HAD NO INTENTION OF PRESCRIBING WHAT SUBJECTS SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH IN THE IR COURSES, SINCE THE AUTHORITY DID NOT CONSIDER THAT THE DETERMINATION OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM WAS ONE OF ITS FUNCTIONS.

+HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE MATTER, THE EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY WILL BE REVIEWING ITS EARLIER DECISION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS ESSENTIAL IN THE FIELD OF CURRICULUM PLANNING AND ITS LATER IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FORM OF CLASSROOM TEACHING THAT WE MUST DIRECT OUR EFFORTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE COMPETENCE OF OUR PUPILS IN THE USE OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE.

/+FINALLY,