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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1982

JSEA +NERVE-WRECKING+

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IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE TODAY, THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW QUESTIONED THE NECESSITY OF THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT SCALING TEST WHICH SHE DESCRIBED AS +A NERVE-WRECKING EXERCISE FOR 15-YEAR-OLDS.

ALTHOUGH IT HAS ONLY TAKEN PLACE TWICE, SHE SAID, THE STRAIN IS SHOWING.

+ALREADY THERE ARE SIGNS THAT STUDENTS ARE DRILLED FOR THE FORM ||| SCALING TEST.

→FEW CAN SHARE THE OPTIMISM OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION THAT TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN BE PERSUADED TO TREAT THE TEST LIGHTLY, AS THEY REGARD IT AS A CRITICAL STAGE IN DETERMINING THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC CAREERS.

MRS CHOW ALSO NOTED THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF THE SCALING TEST

ON THE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION.

AS THE PROJECTED FIGURES SHOW THAT 62 PER CENT OF 15-YEAR-OLDS IN 1982, 68 PER CENT IN 1983 AND 71 PER CENT IN 1984 WILL BE PROVIDED WITH SUBSIDISED PLACES AT FORM IV LEVEL, SHE WONDERED WHY IT IS NECESSARY THEN TO SUBJECT ALL OF THEM TO SUCH A NERVE-WRECKING EXERCISE AS THE JSEA SCALING TEST JUST SO THAT THE MINORITY CAN BE ELIMINATED?

*WHY CANNOT THE DISCRETION BE GIVEN TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE PARENTS?

ASKED.

+WHY IS THE INTERNAL SCHOOL ASSESSMENT NOT ENOUGH? SHE

MRS CHOW ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE UP A MORE POSITIVE AND ACTIVE ROLE IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.

SHE REMARKED THAT THIS IS AN ON-GOING CREATIVE COMMITMENT WHICH REQUIRES THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN CORRECTNESS, CONSISTENCY AND PRESENTATION+,

HOWEVER, SHE NOTED THAT THE ONLY PROVISION LISTED FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN THIS YEAR'S ESTIMATES IS A SUM OF $57 000 TO MEET THE EXPENSES OF AN OVERSEAS ADVISER FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHING.

+DOES THIS REFLECT THE INSIGNIFICANCE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES TO CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS?

*NONE OF US CAN BE SATISFIED WITH ANY HALF-HEARTED EFFORT IN THIS TASK, AND I HOPE THE PANEL OF ADVISERS WILL HAVE SPECIFIC THINGS TO SAY ON THIS SUBJECT, SHE SAID,

ON THE SUBJECT OF HOUSING, MRS CHOW CALLED FOR A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING POLICY OF OFFERING TENANCY IN PERPETUITY.

/SHE PROPOSED

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