XN000022-1982-08-20 — Page 6

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1982

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HK'S EDUCATION SYSTEM - A CASE IN POINT

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HOW THE SON OF A HUMBLE MESSENGER IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE CAME TO WIN A COVETED SCHOLARSHIP TO OXFORD UNIVERSITY WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE'S TALK TO THE CHINESE BRITISH-RETURNED STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE FURAMA HOTEL.

AU LEUNG-BUN WON THE SCHOLARSHIP RECENTLY AND WILL LEAVE FOR OXFORD SOON.

DESCRIBING THIS AS A HONG KONG EDUCATION SUCCESS STORY, MR HAYE SAID THAT THE BOY'S FATHER, MR AU KWOK-TUNG, IS AN OFFICE ASSISTANT IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND MRS AU IS A HOUSEWIFE.

THE PARENTS RECEIVED ONLY PRIMARY EDUCATION AND WERE DETERMINED TO GIVE ALL THEIR THREE CHILDREN THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAD MISSED.

THEY DID THIS BY HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE, WHICH MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEIR THREE CHILDREN TO PROCEED THROUGH THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO POST-SECONDARY LEVEL.

THE ELDEST SON LEUNG-FAI, IS TAKING A DIPLOMA COURSE IN MELBOURNE AFTER SECURING A HIGHER CERTIFICATE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.

YUK-YEE, THE SECOND CHILD AND ONLY DAUGHTER, IS NOW A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER IN A LEADING FINANCE COMPANY AFTER GETTING A DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER STUDIES FROM THE POLYTECHNIC TWO YEARS AGO.

LIKE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER CHILDREN IN HONG KONG, THE THREE CHILDREN WENT TO GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND THEREAFTER TO AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

THEY WORKED HARD, PASSED THEIR EXAMINATIONS AND FOUND TIME FOR A NUMBER OF HEALTHY EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. AND YET, ACCORDING TO THEIR FATHER, NONE OF THEM HAD EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT SCHOOL PRESSURE.

+MR AU TELLS ME THAT HIS CHILDREN STUDY LATE ONLY DURING EXAMINATION PERIODS, AND ALWAYS MANAGE TO CONTINUE WITH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES,+ MR HAYE SAID.

LEUNG-BUN, AND HIS BROTHER AND SISTER, MAY BE ACADEMICALLY BRIGHT, BUT THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE QUALITIES NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.

+AND THEY ARE THE PRODUCTS OF AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHICH SOME CRITICS HAVE DESCRIBED AS UNDESIRABLE,+ MR HAYE SAID.

THE STORY OF AU LEUNG-BUN AND HIS FAMILY COULD BE ECHOED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE BRITISH-RETURNED STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION, MR HAYE CONCLUDED.

HIS AUDIENCE WAS PROOF OF THE FUNDAMENTAL SOUNDNESS OF THE HONG KONG SYSTEM AND A GUARANTEE OF ITS PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE,

HE SAID.

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