XN000022-1981-07-30 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1981

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REALISTIC TARGETS SET FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION

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THE WILL TO MOVE FASTER WAS THERE, BUT THE RESOURCES PARTICULARLY HUMAN RESOURCES, MIGHT NOT BE, SAID THE HON ÉRIC P. HO, SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR HO SAID THE TARGETS TOWARDS THE LATTER END OF THE DECADE COULD BE REVIEWED ONCE IT WAS SEEN HOW THE SUPPLY OF TEACHERS TEACHER TRAINERS AND CLASSROOMS MEASURED UP TO THE TARGETS SET IN THE WHITE PAPER.

IT HAS BEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN TO SET REALISTIC IMPLEMENTATION DATES.

+ IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO SPEED UP THINGS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CERTAINLY DO SO, HE SAID.

MR HO WAS REFERRING TO COMMENTS MADE BY THE HON THE REV JOYCE BENNETT AND THE HON DR HENRY HU THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE MOVING FASTER IN SOME AREAS THAN THE WHITE PAPER INDICATES.

MR HO TOLD MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY APPOINTED A CONSULTANT TO EXAMINE TEACHING IN KINDERGARTENS TO SEE WHAT AREAS NEEDED IMPROVEMENT AND TO INTRODUCE THE LATEST THINKING TO TEACHER TRAINERS.

+HER VIEWS, TOGETHER WITH THOSE OF THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE CAREFULLY STUDIED TO ENSURE THAT THE BEST AND MOST APPROPRIATE TYPE OF EDUCATION IS MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR PRE-PRIMARY CHILDREN, MR HO SAID.

IN EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO MISS BENNETT AND DR HU FOR THEIR SUPPORT, HE SAID THAT THEY HAD BOTH GENEROUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AT PAINS TO TAKE PUBLIC OPINION INTO ACCOUNT, AS WELL AS THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE COUNCIL.

+FOR MY PART, I REITERATE THAT WHEN MODIFICATIONS TO THE MEASURES SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER BECOME DESIRABLE AND POSSIBLE OF ACHIEVEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES,+ MR HO SAID.

DISCUSSING PRE-PRIMARY CHILDREN ATTENDING INSTITUTIONS +WHICH THE IR AGE APPARENTLY DOES NOT ENTITLE THEM TO DO SO,+ MR HO SAID THE DEMARCATION BETWEEN CHILD CARE CENTRES AND KINDERGARTENS IS DETERMINED BY THE AGES OF THE CHILDREN PERMITTED TO ATTEND THESE INSTITUTIONS.

/AS FOR