XN000022-1981-07-20 — Page 2

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MONDAY, JULY 20, 1981

PILOT SCHEME ON COMPUTER STUDIES PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR

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THE TEACHING SYLLABUS FOR A NEW SUBJECT ON +COMPUTER STUDIES+ HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND APPROVED AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO LAUNCH A PILOT SCHEME. IN SEPTEMBER, 1982,

MR A.J. REEVE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS) SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A COMPUTER COURSE FOR 60 SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS BEING CONDUCTED AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG,

+UNDER THIS SCHEME ABOUT 30 SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL INTRODUCE THIS SUBJECT TO ONE CLASS OF THEIR FORM IV STUDENTS, PLANS ARE ALSO BEING MADE BY THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY TO EXAMINE THIS SUBJECT AT CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION LEVEL IN MAY 1984, MR REEVE SAID.

DETAILS REGARDING FINANCE AND EXAMINATION PROCEDURES ARE STILL TO BE WORKED OUT BUT PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE FAVOURABLE.

+SCHOOLS WISHING TO JOIN THE PILOT SCHEME MAY WRITE TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO OBTAIN THE TEACHING SYLLABUS AND OTHER INFORMATION, HE SAID.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE +COMPUTER STUDIES+ SUBJECT ARE TO ENABLE PUPILS TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONS, USES AND LIMITATION OF COMPUTERS, TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDY OF THE MODERN METHODS OF INFORMATION PROCESSING, AND TO ENCOURAGE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS IN THE MODERN WORLD AND TO PREPARE PUPILS FOR FURTHER STUDIES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE.

SINCE 1977, 30 COMPUTER COURSES HAD BEEN ORGANISED FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS BY THE MATHEMATICS SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WITH THE HELP OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.

ALTOGETHER ABOUT 800 TEACHERS ATTENDED THESE COURSES.

+THREE MORE COURSES ON COMPUTER STUDIES FOR TEACHERS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR THE SUMMER OF 1982,+ AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

TEACHERS WHO WILL BE TEACHING COMPUTER STUDIES IN THE PILOT SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR WILL THEREFORE HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY TRAINED, HE SAID.

+MORE IN-SERVICE COURSES WILL BE ORGANISED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF THE PILOT SCHEME TO ASSIST THEM IN THE IR TEACHING,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

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