XN000022-1982-01-27 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1982

THE 40 STUDENTS WHO WILL GRADUATE EACH YEAR BETWEEN 1982-1984 FROM THIS TWO-YEAR COURSE IS FURTHER PROOF OF GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO UPGRADE CHILD-CARE SERVICES, AS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES. MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER WERE THE RESULT OF REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY INTERESTED ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT.

A STANDING COMMITTEE, COMPRISING SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE EDUCATION BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, WAS SET UP TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHITE PAPER'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE WHITE PAPER, IN STATING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IN THIS VITAL AREA OF SOCIAL SERVICE, SAID SUCCINCTLY: +INVESTMENT IN THE YOUNG IS VALUABLE NOT ONLY FOR ITS OWN SAKE BUT FOR THE CONTINUED WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG.+

HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN AND SYSTEMATIC INVOLVEMENT IN THE TRAINING OF CHILD-CARE WORKERS DATED BACK TO 1966 WHEN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT BEGAN ORGANISING FIVE-WEEK, IN-SERVICE, TRAINING COURSES FOR CHILD-CARE WORKERS. THESE COURSES ARE STILL BEING OFFERED AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE, FUNDED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. THE GRADUATES FROM THESE COURSES ARE CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

THE PROJECTED NUMBERS OF GRADUATES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ARE: 343 IN 1981/82, 344 IN 1982-83 AND 380 EACH YEAR THEREAFTER.

APPLICANTS FOR THE COURSE AT THE CENTRE MUST BE RECOMMENDED AND SPONSORED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS, AS THE FIVE-WEEK COURSE IS SPREAD OVER A 3-1/2-MONTH PERIOD. THEY MUST ALSO HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE CHILD CARE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AS TRAINEE CHILD-CARE WORKERS, AGED 18 OR OVER, WITH A FORM THREE EDUCATION, SAID MRS JOSEPHINE LAM, THE SUPERVISOR OF THE NURSERY AND CHILD CARE UNIT IN THE TRAINING SECTION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

FOR THOSE WITH ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AT FORM FIVE LEVEL AND ABOVE, THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC PROVIDES A ONE-YEAR, FULL-TIME, CERTIFICATE COURSE IN CHILD CARE.

THE POLYTECHNIC ALSO OFFERS A TWO-YEAR, PART-TIME, DAY-RELEASE COURSE TO PRACTICING CHILD-CARE WORKERS. HOWEVER, THEY MUST BE SPONSORED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS.

THE POLYTECHNIC CURRENTLY HAS 39 STUDENTS ATTENDING ITS FULL-TIME COURSE AND 40 ON ITS PART-TIME COURSE, INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND YEAR STUDENTS.

STUDENT INTAKE FOR BOTH COURSES IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY ENLARGED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FIGURES SHOW THERE ARE 3 190 REGISTERED CHILD-CARE STAFF ALTHOUGH ONLY 1 749 ARE PRACTICING. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE 428 TRAINEE CHILD-CARE WORKERS.

/THEY SERVE