XN000022-1981-01-02 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1981

PILOT SCHEME IMPROVES LINKS WITH SCHOOLS

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KOWLOON HAS BEEN RE-DEMARCATED INTO SIX REGIONAL AREAS UNDER A NEW PILOT SCHEME AIMED AT IMPROVING SERVICES AND COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOLS, AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THE SCHEME, WHICH WILL BE ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS AND CAREFULLY MONITORED, IS THE RESULT OF EXTENSIVE AND CAREFUL PLANNING.

IF IT PROVES SATISFACTORY, IT WILL BE EXTENDED TO HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE KOWLOON REGIONAL AREAS HAVE NOW BEEN DEMARCATED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY DISTRICTS. THEY ARE SHAM SHUI PO, MONG KOK, YAU MA TEI, KOWLOON CITY, WONG TAI SIN AND KWUN TONG.

EACH AREA WILL BE UNDER THE CHARGE OF A SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICER, AND WILL BE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO EDUCATIONAL DISTRICTS EACH UNDER THE CHARGE OF A DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICER.

+THE PURPOSE OF THE RE-DEMARCATION IS NOT ONLY TO ENABLE EACH EDUCATIONAL AREA TO COINCIDE WITH THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY DISTRICT, BUT ALSO TO FACILITATE BETTER CO-ORDINATION AND PLANNING BETWEEN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

+ANOTHER MAJOR OBJECTIVE IN THIS EXERCISE IS TO IMPROVE THE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND TEACHING STAFF,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID,

REGIONAL OFFICERS WILL GRADUALLY BE RELIEVED OF THE MORE ROUTINE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK SO THAT THEY CAN VISIT SCHOOLS MORE FREQUENTLY, AND SPEND MORE TIME DURING EACH VISIT ON INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HEADS OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS, SO AS TO STRENGTHEN PERSONAL CONTACT AND PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

SCHOOL HEADS AND TEACHERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT REGIONAL OFFICERS AT THEIR OFFICES FOR DISCUSSION OF ANY MATTER, PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL, ABOUT WHICH THEY FEEL CONCERNED OR ANXIOUS.

+THE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL OFFICERS WILL BE SETTING ASIDE SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSULTATIONS WITH SCHOOL STAFF. THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE EMPHASIZED THAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT AND NOT TO REPLACE THE NORMAL CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION WHICH IS THROUGH THE HEADS OF SCHOOLS.

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