XN000022-1981-05-24 — Page 4

SUNDAY, MAY 24, 1981

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PAYMENT OFFERED TO PNEUMOCONIOSIS SUFFERERS

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PEOPLE DIAGNOSED BEFORE JANUARY 1 THIS YEAR AS SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS HAVE BEEN REMINDED THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO EXGRATIA PAYMENTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, SUBJECT TO ASSESSMENT OF THEIR LUNG DISEASE.

THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN ASSESSED BY THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS MEDICAL ASSESSMENT BOARD SHOULD CONTACT THE WAN CHAI CHEST CLINIC IN KENNEDY ROAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY CAN CALL IN PERSON OR TELEPHONE 5-726024.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAD WRITTEN TO PEOPLE KNOWN TO BE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS TO COME FORWARD FOR MEDICAL ASSESSMENT, BUT SOME OF THEM HAD NOT RESPONDED.

+PERHAPS THIS IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE LETTER DUE TO CHANGE OF ADDRESSES. THEY SHOULD CONTACT THE WAN CHAI CLINIC AS SOON AS THEY LEARN OF THIS REMINDER IN THE NEWSPAPERS OR ON THE RADIO, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SO FAR 1 130 APPLICATIONS FOR EXGRATIA PAYMENTS INVOLVING ABOUT $31 000 000 HAD BEEN APPROVED.

PEOPLE DIAGNOSED AFTER JANUARY AS SUFFERING FROM THE LUNG DISEASE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO EXGRATIA PAYMENTS, BUT TO COMPENSATION UNDER THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS INVITED TO JOIN PUTONGHUA PILOT SCHEME

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SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS ARE INVITED TO JOIN A PILOT SCHEME ON THE TEACHING OF PUTONGHUA ON A MONITORED SCHOOL BASIS AND TO NOMINATE TEACHERS FOR A RELATED TRAINING PROGRAMME STARTING IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

THE PILOT SCHEME RECOMMENDED BY THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL START IN THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR IN PRIMARY 4 OF 20 MONITORED PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND WILL BE EXTENDED TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY 1984.

IN READINESS FOR THIS EXTENSION THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE ADULT EDUCATION SECTION IS RUNNING A PART-TIME EVENING TRAINING COURSE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

+TEACHERS NOMINATED SHOULD HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST IN TEACHING PUTONGHUA, AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

די-ית