XN000022-1981-02-16 — Page 7

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1981

ALSO, ABOUT 7 MILLION PASSENGERS TRAVELLED TO AND FROM MACAU COMPARED WITH 6.6 MILLION IN 1979 -- AN INCREASE OF 6.1 PER CENT.

THIRD PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL AT SHA TIN

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THE FOUNDATION STONE OF HONG KONG'S 15TH PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL WILL BE LAID BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, AT SHA TIN ON WEDNESDAY.

THE SCHOOL AT TIN SAM WILL BE THE THIRD PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL FOR SHA TIN AND THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO BE OPERATED BY THE PO LEUNG KUK.

CONSTRUCTION WORK IS EXPECTED TO START ON THE PO LEUNG KUK C... CHU PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS ON A 5 480 SQUARE-METRE SITE WITH COMPLETION EXPECTED BY DECEMBER, 1982.

CAPITAL COST OF THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED AT $16 MILLION WITH

AN EXTRA $1.6 MILLION REQUIRED FOR FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT.

THE SCHOOL WILL HAVE 25 CLASSROOMS FOR ABOUT 1 000 PUPILS. IN ADDITION IT WILL HAVE A LARGE HALL, NINE WORKSHOPS AND A NUMBER OF SPECIAL ROOMS, EQUIPPED WITH MODERN MACHINERY.

PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF HONG KONG'S SECONDARY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDE PUPILS WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND AN INTRODUCTION TO BROAD-BASED TECHNICAL SKILLS FOR FUTURE VOCATIONAL TRAINING,

PUPILS IN THESE SCHOOLS CAN CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION UP TO THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION LEVEL, AND LATER PROCEED TO THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND POLYTECHNIC.

+PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS THEREFORE PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROVIDING THE NECESSARY TECHNICAL MANPOWER VITAL TO HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID.

IN A PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL, THE CURRICULUM CONTENT IS NORMALLY 40/50 PER CENT TECHNICAL AND 50/60 PER CENT ACADEMIC FOR FORMS I TO 11 AND 30 PER CENT AND 70 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY FOR FORMS IV AND V.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SEND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE FOUNDATION STONE LAYING CEREMONY BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AT 12 NOON ON WEDNESDAY.

TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE PRESS AND WILL LEAVE PO LEUNG KUK. 66 LEIGHTON ROAD. CAUSEWAY BAY, HONG KONG AT 10.50 AM ON THE DAY.

THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED AT AREA 2A, TIN SAM, SHA TIN.

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