XN000022-1982-05-19 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1982

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POPOSALS TO REVAMP SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES

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A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY CONDUCTED LAST YEAR HAS RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REORGANISING SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES IN SCHOOLS, THE HON COLVYN HAYE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SAID TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

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+A PAPER ON THIS SUBJECT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE AT ITS NEXT MEETING ON JUNE 7, HE SAID.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON K.C. CHAN AS TO HOW MANY VACANCIES THERE WERE IN SPECIAL CLASSES IN AIDED SCHOOLS AND WHAT ACTION WAS BEING TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.

THERE WERE 1 460 VACANCIES IN SPECIAL CLASSES IN AIDED SCHOOLS AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD TAKEN A NUMBER OF POSITIVE STEPS TO FILL THEM, HE SAID.

A GROUP TESTING PROGRAMME CONDUCTED ANNUALLY IDENTIFIED CHILDREN REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVISION, AND THESE CHILDREN WERE REFERRED TO SCHOOLS WITH VACANCIES IN SPECIAL CLASSES, MR HAYE SAID.

MEETINGS WERE HELD WITH HEADS OF ORDINARY SCHOOLS TO LET THEM KNOW WHICH SCHOOLS IN THEIR IMMEDIATE VICINITY HAD VACANCIES IN SPECIAL CLASSES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, HE SAID.

+PARENTS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN ARE GIVEN INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE IR CHILDREN, HE SAID.

THERE WAS ALSO REGULAR PUBLICITY ON THIS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PAMPHLETS AND LEAFLETS DISTRIBUTED FROM DISTRICT OFFICES, OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICES, AND SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRES EXPLAINING THE SPECIAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES.

WAGE CEILING RAISED FROM $6 000 TO $7 500

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THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE WILL NOW APPLY TO NON-MANUAL

EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $7 500 A MONTH INSTEAD OF $6 000.

A RESOLUTION TO RAISE THE WAGE CEILING TO $7 500 WAS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN MOVING THE RESOLUTION MADE UNDER THE ORDINANCE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J.N. HENDERSON, RECALLED THAT AT THE LAST REVISION OF THE WAGE CEILING IN JANÚARY 1981, HE INFORMED THE COUNCIL THAT THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD HAD ADVISED THAT THE CEILING SHOULD BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY AND THAT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO REVISE IT IF THERE WAS A CLEAR NEED.

/A REVIEW