XN000022-1978-12-30 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1978

MORE TECHNICAL SUBJECTS PLANNED FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY 1986 SOME 180 SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL BE RUNNING CLASSES IN DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, 230 IN ART AND DESIGN AND 190 IN HOME ECONOMICS, ACCORDING TO MR. DANIEL WATERS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL).

HE WAS SPEAKING TODAY (SATURDAY) AT THE ANNUAL BALL OF THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL TEACHERS' UNION AND THE HONG KONG VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

SPEAKING ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN THE NEXT DECADE,+

MR. WATERS SAID IT WAS EXPECTED THAT BY 1986 SOME 140 GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS AS WELL AS SOME 80 PRIVATE SCHOOLS WOULD BE RUNNING COMMERCIAL SUBJECTS.

+WE CAN ALSO EXPECT SOME NEW TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SUBJECTS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.

NOTING THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING TOWARDS THE GOAL OF ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAVING AT LEAST ONE TECHNICAL SUBJECT IN THEIR CURRICULA, MR. WATERS SAID THIS MEANT SOME ACCOMMODATION WOULD HAVE TO BE CONVERTED INTO PRACTICAL ROOMS,

+FOR THE SCHOOLS WHICH LACK SUITABLE FACILITIES CENTRAL WORKSHOPS WILL BE ESTABLISHED.

+TWO SUCH CENTRES ARE PLANNED TO BE IN OPERATION BY 1980 AS A PILOT SCHEME, HE ADDED.

COMMENTING ON TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, MR. WATERS SAID ADDITIONAL FLOORS AND ANNEXES WOULD BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING PREMISES TO PROVIDE MORE ACCOMMODATION.

+GOVERNMENT ALSO INTENDS TO PROCEED WITH A SIXTH TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE REQUIRED IN TUEN MUN BY 1984,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO TECHNICAL TEACHER TRAINING, MR. WATERS SAID: +THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE WILL INTRODUCE A THREE-YEAR FULL-TIME COURSE FOR STUDENT TEACHERS, TRAINING TO TEACH IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, COMMENCING IN SEPTEMBER 1980.+

A NEW BUILDING FOR THE COLLEGE WAS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1982 AT A SITE IN KOWLOON TONG ADJACENT TO THE LEE WAI LEE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE.

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