XN000022-1980-04-18 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1980

THE TERMS OF TRADE INDEX. EXPRESSED AS A RATIO OF UNIT VALUE INDEX FOR DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO THAT FOR IMPORTS, FOR JANUARY 1980 WAS 97.

+THE HONG KONG TRADE STATISTICS-SUMMARY+, A SUMMARY REPORT ON HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL TRADE IN FEBRUARY 1980, WILL SOON BE ON SALE AT $3 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE. A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, HONG KONG EXTERNAL TRADE+, WITH DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE MONTH'S IMPORTS, EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS WILL BE PUBLISHED EARLY NEXT MONTH AND WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $10 PER COPY.

LAW AMENDED TO FACILITATE CHILD CARE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

****

LEGISLATION HAS BEEN AMENDED TO FACILITATE BETTER DEVELOPMENT OF CHILD CARE SERVICE AND TO EASE THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY CHILD CARE CENTRES IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING SUITABLE STAFF WHILST ENSURING AN ADEQUATE STANDARD OF SERVICE.

AMENDMENT REGULATIONS, PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY), PROVIDE FOR ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE STAFF, CREATE A CATEGORY OF TRAINEE CHILD CARE WORKERS, RELAX THE STAFF-CHILDREN RATIO AND FLOOR SPACE REQUIREMENTS, AND INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES FOR CHILDREN UNDER CARE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS CAME INTO OPERATION IN 1976 TO PROVIDE FOR A SYSTEM OF SERVICE CONTROL ON CHILD CARE CENTRES TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN AGED UNDER SIX YEARS WERE CARED FOR A STANDARD OF POSITIVE BENEFIT PHYSICALLY, SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY.

HE SAID THE AMENDMENTS NOW INTRODUCED WERE DERIVED MAINLY FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A WORKING PARTY, COMPRISING GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES, SET UP IN 1977 TO REVIEW THE LEGISLATION IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED AFTER ITS

IMPLEMENTATION.

HE SAID THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE AMENDMENT

REGULATIONS ARE

* TO REQUIRE A SUPERVISOR OF A CHILD CARE CENTRE TO HAVE

HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION WITH TWO SUBJECTS AT GRADE E OR ABOVE, OR THE EQUIVALENT HAVE THREE YEARS CHILD CARE EXPERIENCE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AN APPROVED TRAINING COURSE IN CHILD CARE AND BE AGED AT LEAST 25 YEARS TO ENSURE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF MATURITY AT THE SUPERVISORY LEVEL. ALTERNATIVELY,

CHILD CARE WORKERS WITH FIVE YEARS' SATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE AND AGED 28 YEARS OR OVER MAY BE PROMOTED TO BECOME SUPERVISORS, THUS PROVIDING THEM WITH GOOD CAREER DEVELOPMENT.

TO REQUIRE