XN000022-1980-07-09 — Page 8

6.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980

COMMITTEE FORMED TO CO-ORDINATE PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES

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A STANDING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO CO-ORDINATE THE SERVICES OFFERED TO PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON E.P. HO, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE GREEN PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES, MR HO SAID THE COMMITTEE, AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, HAD BEEN CONVENED AND I AM SURE THIS WILL GO SOME WAY TO MEETING THE NEED FOR PROPER CO-ORDINATION IN THIS AREA.+

MR HO SAID HE SHARED THE VIEWS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS THAT THE NEEDS OF THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILD SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN AN OVERALL CONTEXT. BUT, HE ADDED, THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS NOT CONVINCED OF THE NEED FOR A SINGLE DEPARTMENT TO OVERSEE SERVICES FOR THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILD.

+THIS APPROACH IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE VIEW THAT GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION SHOULD BE ON THE BASIS OF FUNCTIONAL SERVICES, AND NOT ON THE AGE GROUP OR CLASS OF PERSON SERVED,+ HE ADDED.

THE COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED TO CO-ORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN THIS FIELD.

MR HO SAID COMMENTS RECEIVED SO FAR ON THE GREEN PAPER GENERALLY SUPPORTED THE VIEW THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO DO AWAY WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS OF ENTRY INTO PRIMARY SCHOOL.

+IF WE ACCEPT THIS AS A MAJOR FAULT WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM THEN AN ALTERNATIVE MUST BE FOUND WHICH REMEDIES THE SITUATION, HE SAID,

HE ADDED HE WAS ALSO AWARE OF THE VIEWS OF A LARGE SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH FELT THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM DID NOT GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A REASONABLE CHANCE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE BEST SORT OF EDUCATION THAT HONG KONG COULD OFFER.

+WE SHALL CERTAINLY HAVE TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT THIS VITAL AREA BEFORE FINALISING OUR PROPOSALS FOR INCLUSION IN THE WHITE PAPER, HE SAID.

FIVE SPEAKERS IN THE DEBATE WERE UNANIMOUS IN PROPOSING A CENTRALISED INSTITUTE FOR PRE-SCHOOL TRAINING TO COVER THE TRAINING OF WORKERS IN ALL PRE-SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS.

MR HO DESCRIBED THIS AS A SENSIBLE IDEA+ WHICH WOULD BE +SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED, BUT AS A LONG-TERM PROJECT.+

+FOR THE TIME BEING, IN ORDER TO GET THINGS MOVING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WE MUST, AS THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSES, TRY TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF EXISTING RESOURCES, HE SAID.

/ON THE

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