XN000022-1980-10-22 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1980

8

MISS BENNETT CONSIDERED THAT CHILDREN CLASSIFIED AS BAND FIVE AT THE END OF PRIMARY SCHOOL SHOULD RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THEY PROBABLY NEED A FAR MORE ACTIVE APPROACH TO STUDY. THEY REQUIRE THE SMALLER CLASSES AT PRESENT LIMITED TO SLOW LEARNERS IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS. THEY NEED MORE SPACE AND MORE EQUIPMENT THE IR TEACHERS NEED TO HAVE SPECIAL SUPERVISION IN DEALING WITH THEM, SHE SAID.

+CLEARLY WE NEED TO DEVELOP MORE RAPIDLY THE QUALITY OF OUR EDUCATION WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY FURTHER ITS CONTENT TO INCLUDE FAR MORE OF A VOCATIONAL NATURE WE MUST VASTLY INCREASE OUR SUPPORTING SERVICES IF OUR NINE YEARS OF FREE AND COMPULSORY SCHOOLING ARE TO HAVE ANY PROPER VALUE AND MEANING.

+THE CHILDREN OF HONG KONG DESERVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS. THE QUALITY OF OUR FUTURE SOCIETY DEPENDS UPON THEM, SHE ADDED.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE NEEDED TO HELP INDUSTRY ******

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE INITIATIVE TO COUNTERACT THE DRIFT OF CAPITAL FROM INDUSTRY TO THE PROPERTY MARKET.

THE CALL CAME TODAY FROM THE HON S.L. CHEN WHO SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THAT DURING THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, VAST AND INCREASING AMOUNT OF CAPITAL HAD BEEN SIPHONED OFF FROM INDUSTRY.

+TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS WHERE LARGE AND HITHERTO PROFITABLE FACTORIES HAVE SUCCUMBED TO THE TEMPTATION OF QUICK PROFITS, BY REALISING THEIR LAND ASSETS IN PREFERENCE TO CONTINUING MANUFACTURING.

+THIS IS A VERY SAD AND DANGEROUS STATE OF AFFAIRS AND

IF THE TREND IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE UNCHECKED, WE MAY SOON FIND THAT INDUSTRY WILL HAVE CEASED TO BE THE ENGINE OF OUR ECONOMY'.

+THIS IS A REAL THREAT TO OUR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING, + HE WARNED.

MR CHEN THEN CALLED FOR THE CREATION OF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO ASSIST INDUSTRIES A PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY THE HON LI FOOK-WO AND TWO FORMER UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS IN THE 1979 BUDGET DEBATE.

AS THE BUDGETTED SURPLUS IS LIKELY TO BE EXCEEDED AGAIN THIS YEAR, MR CHEN PROPOSED TO CHANNEL SOME OF THE VERY HUGE SURPLUSES ACCUMULATED OVER THE YEARS INTO WEALTH CREATING ACTIVITIES+,

/BUT HE

Page 10Page 11