XN000022-1981-10-16 — Page 7

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1981

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COLLEGE PRINCIPALS THANKED FOR WORK WELL DONE

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION MR COLVYN HAYE, TODAY (FRIDAY) CONGRATULATED THE PRINCIPALS OF THE THREE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR WORK IN PRODUCING THE QUALITY TEACHERS NEEDED IN EDUCATING HONG KONG'S NEXT GENERATION.

IN A ROUTINE VISIT TO THE SIR ROBERT BLACK COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, MR HAYE THANKED THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO ENROL AND TRAIN MORE GRADUATES FOR THE THREE-YEAR AND TWO-YEAR COURSES TO MEET THE PHASED DEMAND FOR MORE TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. INTAKE AT THE THREE COLLEGES THIS YEAR HAS BEEN DOUBLED.

THE NEED FOR MORE TEACHERS WAS THE RESULT OF MEASURES APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO RAISE LANGUAGE STANDARDS AND IN AN IMPROVED TEACHER CLASSROOM RATIO FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE RECENTLY ISSUED WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES.

A MAIN FEATURE OF THE NEW TWO-YEAR AND THREE-YEAR COURSES IS THE INTRODUCTION OF A CORE CURRICULUM CONSISTING OF A COMPULSORY PROGRAMME OF STUDIES WHICH INCLUDE LANGUAGE SKILLS

IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE.

THIS IS GEARED TO EQUIP STUDENT TEACHERS WITH THE SKILL TO TEACH BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE ON GRADUATION AND HOPEFULLY HELP RAISE THE STANDARD OF LANGUAGES AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN.

IN THE COURSE OF HIS TOUR OF THE COLLEGE, MR HAYE CHATTED INFORMALLY WITH THE STAFF AND OBSERVED LECTURES IN PROGRESS.

+THE EFFICIENCY OF THE STAFF AND THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE COLLEGE IS MOST IMPRESSIVE, THE DIRECTOR COMMENTED ON DEPARTURE.