XN000022-1981-03-25 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1981

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THE PRINCIPAL COULD NOT ACCEDE TO THIS REQUEST BECAUSE TO GIVE CNE TEACHER LESS TEACHING WOULD INCREASE THE TEACHING LOAD OF OTHERS, SHE SAID.

THE CAREERS TEACHER BECAME FRUSTRATED AS SHE HAD BEEN INSPIRED BY THE POTENTIAL OF HER TASKS, BUT FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FULFIL HER DUTIES IN THE LIMITED TIME AVAILABLE.

+ IN MANY COUNTRIES THE CAREERS COUNSELLOR IS APPOINTED EXTRM TO THE TEACHING STAFF, SAID MISS BENNETT.

+ THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS NEED HELP AND ADVICE TO PLAN THE IR CAREERS.

+HONG KONG NEEDS TO DEVELOP ITS RESOURCES TO THE FULL WE MUST NOT CONTINUE TO WASTE OUR MANPOWER BY NOT PROMOTING PROPERLY THE CAREERS PROSPECTS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.+

COMMENTING ON THE PROVISION OF LABORATORY TECHNICIANS IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS, MISS BENNETT RECALLED THAT AS LONG AGO AS DECEMBER 1978, SHE WAS ASSURED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WAS LOOKING INTO THE QUESTION OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF LABORATORY TECHNICIANS IN THESE SCHOOLS.

SHE WAS FURTHER ASSURED BY THE DIRECTOR THAT HE HOPED TO RECEIVE THE REPORT FROM HIS WORKING PARTY ON THIS IN THE SPRING OF 1979.

+ I UNDERSTAND FROM LATER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR THAT FORMAL PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT ON AUGUST 12, 1980.

+BUT WILL THERE BE THE MONEY FOR EXTRA LABORATORY TECHNICIANS AVAILABLE FOR THIS SEPTEMBER?+ SHE ASKED.

ON THE SUBJECT OF LANGUAGE TEACHING, MISS BENNETT RE ITERATED HER CALLS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF MORE TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS TO PRODUCE BETTER STANDARDS IN THE USE OF THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGES.

OUR TEACHERS ARE OVER-BURDENED WITH LARGE CLASSES OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE TO RELY ON THE IR TEACHERS FOR IMPROVING THEIR LANGUAGE SK ILLS.

+READ THE REPORTS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS AND YOU WILL FIND CONTINUAL CRITICISMS OF THE FALLING STANDARDS.

+HAS THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE MADE POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS TO COMBAT THESE WEAKNESSES?+

IN SUMMING UP, MISS BENNETT SAID THAT SHE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR MANY YEARS FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO DO SOMETHING TO IMPROVE THE STAFFING POSITION IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT TO NO AVAIL.

SO WITH THE HELP OF THE SUBSIDISED SECONDARY SCHOOLS COUNCILS, SUE MADE HER OWN PRELIMINARY SURVEY TO ASSESS THE WORKLOAD OF THE TEACHERS IN 19 OF THE SCHOOLS IN THAT COUNCIL.