XN000022-1980-01-24 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1980

NEW SCHOOL FOR FISHERMEN'S CHILDREN

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THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR TED NICHOLS, PERFORMED HIS LAST OFFICIAL CEREMONY TODAY (THURSDAY) WHEN HE OPENED THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION SCHOOL IN AP LEI CHAU.

WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL, THE FMO IS NOW CATERING FOR MORE THAN 7 000 PLACES, PARTICULARLY BIASED TOWARDS SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE FISHING COMMUNITY, MR NICHOLS SAID AT THE OPENING CEREMONY.

+I FEEL THAT THE TEACHING STAFF MUST TAKE NO SMALL PRIDE IN HAVING SUCH EXCELLENT FACILITIES AT THEIR DISPOSAL AND AM CERTAIN THAT THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOL WILL CONSIDER THEMSELVES FORTUNATE IN BEING ABLE TO WORK AND LEARN IN SUCH SURROUNDINGS, HE SAID.

THE NEW SCHOOL, THE FOURTEENTH OPERATED BY THE ORGANISATION, CONSISTS OF 24 CLASSROOMS AND THREE SPECIAL ROOMS FOR WOODWORK, DOMESTIC SCIENCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES.

THE NEED FOR THE SCHOOL CAME ABOUT IN 1978 WHEN THE ABERDEEN FMO SECONDARY SCHOOL EMBARKED UPON A PROGRAMME OF CONVERSION INTO A FIVE-YEAR SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL. THIS ENTAILED TAKING OVER THE CLASSROOMS USED BY THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND TRANSFERRING THE 453 PRIMARY PUPILS TO THE NEW SCHOOL AT AP LEI CHAU ESTATE.

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO FIND PLACES IN ABERDEEN FOR ABOUT 40 PUPILS WHO COULD NOT TRANSFER TO THE AP LE CHAU SCHOOL.

MR NICHOLS SAID: +PERHAPS IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT MY LAST OFFICIAL FUNCTION AS DIRECTOR HAS COMMITTED ME TO THIS OPENING CEREMONY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF MY PAST AND PRESENT INTERESTS IN THE FMO SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF TODAY'S CEREMONY FOR THE COMING GENERATIONS OF OUR FISHING INDUSTRY, WHICH I BELIEVE HAS A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.+

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