XN000022-1981-04-29 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1981

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HOPE FOR ADJUSTMENT IN EDUCATION POLICY

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THE HON CHARLES YEUNG, COMMENTING ON SCHOOL EDUCATION, WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ADJUST ITS EDUCATIONAL POLICY WITH THE CONSEQUENTIAL FINANCIAL PROVISION IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SPEAKING AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1981 HE FELT THAT IT WAS NOT FAIR FOR THE SCHOOL ALONE TO BEAR THE ENTIRE BLAME OF NOT GIVING OUR CHILDREN THE RIGHT SORT OF EDUCATION AND TO SHOULDER THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF EDUCATING THEM.

THIS RESPONSIBILITY, HE SAID, SHOULD BE SHARED BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, THE PARENTS, THE COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT WITHIN THE SCHOOL, THE TEACHERS SHOULD ESTABLISH GOOD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENTS SO AS TO SECURE MUTUAL AFFECTION, TRUST AND CONFIDENCE.

+EFFECTIVE AND SINCERE COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WILL ENCOURAGE THE STUDENTS TO RESPECT THE IR TEACHERS AND WILLINGLY TURN TO THEM FOR GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE THROUGH WHICH THE CHARACTER BUILDING AND MORAL EDUCATION OF STUDENTS MAY BE ACHIEVED.+

TO IMPROVE THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AND TO CREATE A CLOSER BOND BETWEEN THEM, MR YEUNG SUGGESTED THAT THE TEACHER/CLASS RATIO MUST BE IMPROVED AND THE CLASS SIZE REDUCED, SO THAT THE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS MORE CLOSELY AND TO BE IN CONTACT WITH PARENTS MORE FREQUENTLY,

THE COMMUNITY MUST RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND ACCORD THE TEACHERS DUE RESPECT AND DIGNITY SO THAT THE TEACHERS ARE INSPIRED TO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK AND TREAT TEACHING AS A LIFE-LONG CAREER, HE ADDED.

THE SUCCESS OF A SCHOOL, MR YEUNG THOUGHT, DEPENDED VERY MUCH ON CAPABLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IN TURN DEPENDED ON INSPIRED AND ABLE LEADERS WITHIN THE SCHOOL.

+THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ONLY IS INSUFFICIENT, AND HE SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY ASSISTED BY LEADERS SELECTED FROM THE TEACHING STAFF.

+SUCH LEADERS SHOULD BE GIVEN NOT ONLY GREATER RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO A HIGHER STATUS AND BETTER PROMOTIONAL PROSPECT AND THE TIME SPENT BY THEM IN ADMINISTRATIVE WORK SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL, HE SAID,

MR YEUNG ALSO CALLED FOR THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE SPECIAL CLASSES AND SPECIAL TUTORIALS WITHIN THE SCHOOL FOR SLOW LEARNERS AND LATE DEVELOPERS SO AS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION AND THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT WITH THE HOPE OF INTEGRATING THEM IN DUE COURSE INTO THE NORMAL CLASS, FAILING WHICH DEFERMENT SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGED.

+SPECIAL SCHOOL STREAM HAS, THEREFORE, TO BE STRENGTHENED AND THE RE-INTEGRATIVE SYSTEM HAS TO BE UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW,+ HE SA ID.

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