XN000022-1981-04-03 — Page 5

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1981

NEW SCHOOL OPENED IN TAI PO

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THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN TAI PO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

THE CARMEL PAK U SECONDARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN THE

RECENTLY-COMPLETED TAI YUEN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE.

UNVEILING A PLAQUE, MR AKERS-JONES SAID IT SEEMED DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST OF 14 SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN TAI PO DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

IT WAS ALSO DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER CENTURIES INDEED THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF QUIET EXISTENCE, TAI PO HAD NOW EMBARKED ON A PERIOD OF EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT TRANSFORMING IT FROM A TRADITIONAL MARKET, INTO A BUSTLING MODERN TOWN.

+WE ARE INCLINED NOWADAYS TO THINK TOO MUCH OF NUMBERS, OF QUANTITY, OF CONCRETE, SO MANY BUILDINGS COMPLETED AND ROADS CONSTRUCTED, BUT THIS FINE SCHOOL BUILDING WILL BE EMPTY OF MEANING UNLESS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS SHARE A COMMITMENT TO BUILD UP AN IDENTITY AND A FINE TRADITION AS A PLACE OF LEARNING, !R AKERS-JONES SAID.

+L IKEWISE ALL THE FACILITIES WE BUILD FOR TAI PO WILL NOT SERVE THEIR BEST PURPOSE IF THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TOWN DO NOT TAKE PRIDE IN THE TOWNSHIP, DO NOT SHARE THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL CARE FOR THE IR TOWN AND FOR EACH OTHER, AND DO NOT COME FORWARD AND T.KE AN ACTIVE PART IN THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY.

+LET US RESOLVE THEN AS WE GATHER HERE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD AND WITH GOD'S HELP WE WILL SUCCEED,+ MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

CARMEL PAK U SECONDARY SCHOOL IS ONE OF THREE SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED BY THE EVANGELICAL SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATION AND IS SUBSIDISED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THE SCHOOL STARTED LESSONS IN SEPTEMBER 1979, IN BORROWED PREMISES AT BAPTIST LUI MING CHOI SCHOOL, SHA TIN. LAST SEPTEMBER IT MOVED INTO ITS PRESENT BUILDING CONSTRUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AT A COST OF ABOUT $9 MILLION.

FUNDS FOR FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT WERE PROVIDED BY THE EVANGELICAL SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATION AND MADAM LEUNG SING-TAK, A MANAGER OF THE SCHOOL.

FACILITIES INCLUDE AN ASSEMBLY HALL, 24 CLASSROOMS, 12 SPECIAL ROOMS, A LIBRARY AND COVERED AND OPEN PLAYGROUNDS.

THE SCHOOL NOW OPERATES 16 CLASSES WITH 650 STUDENTS. THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE 30 CLASSES FROM FORM ONE TO FORM SEVEN FOR 1 300 STUDENTS WHEN THE SCHOOL IS FULLY OPERATIONAL IN 1984.

LONG.

MOST STUDENTS COME FROM TAI PO, FANLING, SHEUNG SHUI AND YUEN

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