XN000022-1979-10-12 — Page 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1979

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PRIMARY SCHOOLS INVITED TO JOIN

JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES ALLOCATION SCHEME

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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS INVITED ALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW SYSTEM OF ALLOCATION OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES IN 1981 FOR THEIR CURRENT PRIMARY FIVE PUPILS.

+ALL SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM PARENTS IF THEY CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHEME,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

+THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLYING TO JOIN THE SCHEME IS OCTOBER 22,+ HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT PRIMARY SIX LEAVERS OF A PARTICIPATING PRIMARY SCHOOL WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH A THREE-YEAR FREE

SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACE, AND WOULD HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF CHOOSING THE IR SECONDARY SCHOOL BUT NOT SO FOR NON-PARTICIPANTS.

+SCHOOLS NOT TAKING PART IN THE SCHEME SHOULD CLEARLY INFORM PARENTS OF THE CONSEQUENCE, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD HELP ARRANGE PLACES FOR PUPILS CURRENTLY STUDYING IN PRIMARY FIVE OF NON-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN OTHER PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AT PARENTS' REQUEST.

THE SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1976 TO REPLACE THE SECONDARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION IN 1978, HE SAID.

EXPLAINING THE SCHEME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT A PRIMARY SIX PUPIL'S CHANCES OF BEING ALLOCATED A SECONDARY SCHOOL OF HIS CHOICE DEPEND ON THE SCHOOL'S INTERNAL ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF HIS PRIMARY FIVE YEAR AND AT THE END OF THE FIRST AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE SECOND TERM OF HIS PRIMARY SIX YEAR ON ALL SUBJECTS, EXCEPT PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN ALL SCHOOLS AND BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE IN SOME SCHOOLS.

TO ENSURE FAIRNESS, PUPILS OF ALL PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS HAVE TO SIT THE DEPARTMENT'S ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST, RESULTS OF WHICH WILL BE USED TO SCALE AND CONVERT INTERNAL ASSESSMENT INTO AN OVERALL ORDER OF MERIT.

+THE ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST IS NECESSARY AS DIFFERENT SCHOOLS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT CURRICULUM AND THE STANDARD OF MARKING OR ASSESSMENT MAY VARY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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UNDER THE SCHEME. THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG IS DIVIDED INTO 24 +SCHOOL NETS+ BASED ON THE LOCATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

/IN EACH