XN000022-1981-07-22 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1981

TO ENCOURAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MORE NON-PROF IT-MAK ING PRE-PRIMARY INSTITUTIONS, IT IS INTENDED TO REIMBURSE THEIR RENTS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE WITHIN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, PROVIDED THE IR ACCOMMODATION IS OF AN APPROPRIATE STANDARD AND THE RENTS CHARGED ARE CONSIDERED REASONABLE.

IMPROVED STAFFING FORMULA FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

ENCOURAGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE PRACTICE OF REMEDIAL

TEACHING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF REPETITION OF CLASSES BY CHILDREN WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN KEEPING UP WITH THEIR STUDIES. THE CHILDREN WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THEIR CLASSES AND GIVEN INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION IN SMALL GROUPS.

MEASURES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION STANDARDS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS ARE ALSO INTENDED, INCLUDING THE SETTING UP OF CLASS LIBRARIES, BETTER AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS SERVICES, AND FACILITY FOR TEACHERS TO ATTEND IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES PARTLY IN SCHOOL TIME.

AS THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL INVOLVE AN EXTRA WORKLOAD FOR STAFF, THE TEACHER TO CLASS RATIO WILL BE IMPROVED FROM 1.1:1 TO 1.2.1 (THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSAL WAS FOR 1.15:1). THIS RATIO WILL APPLY TO ALL GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS FROM SEPTEMBER 1982.

THE WHITE PAPER ALSO PROVIDES FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SENIOR TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, A STANDARD 24-CLASSROOM SCHOOL WILL HAVE TWO MORE SUCH TEACHERS. ONE OF THE SENIOR TEACHERS IN EACH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF 12 OR MORE CLASSES WILL SERVE AS DEPUTY TO THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL.

MORE PROVISION OF BASIC EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLE MATERIALS

THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESS FORMAL ACTIVITY APPROACH' IN TEACHING, PARTICULARLY IN PRIMARY 1 TO 3 CLASSES. ENCOURAGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN THE FOLLOW ING WAYS:

* AN INITIAL GRANT WILL BE MADE TO EACH CLASS TO BUY CLASSROOM EQUIPMENT AND A RECURRENT SUBSIDY TO BUY CONSUMABLE MATERIALS-

* THE SCHOOL WILL BE PROVIDED WITH FUNDS TO BUY EQUIPMENT

TO HELP IN PRODUCING TEACHING AIDS=

* THE SCHOOL WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN A SYSTEMATIC

RETRAINING SCHEME FOR TEACHERS- AND

* TEACHERS TRAINED IN THE ACTIVITY APPROACH WILL NOT BE

EXCLUDED FROM CONSIDERATION FOR PROMCTION BECAUSE THEY CONTINUED TO TEACH IN THESE CLASSES (NORMALLY LOWER CLASSES).

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