XN000022-1982-10-27 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982

TURNING TO CHANGES IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION, VISS BENNETT CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO BRING ALL THE

SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL CLASSES IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS ENTIRELY UNDER THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

AS A MEMBER OF THE EDUCATION SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE R.D.C.C. SHE RECENTLY LEARNT THAT POLICIES FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL CLASSES WERE NOT FORMULATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION BUT BY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.

AND SHE WAS HORRIFIED TO LEARN THAT GOVERNMENT STILL DOES NOT CONSIDER HANDICAPPED CHILDREN DESERVE EDUCATION SIMILAR IN CONTENT AND DEPTH TO OTHER CHILDREN.

MISS BENNETT DEPLORED THAT EDUCATION POLICY DEALING WITH SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL CLASSES IS CLASSIFIED AS A +SERVICE+ AND THUS, PUT UNDER THE REHABILITATION SECTION OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH.

SHE CITED TWO EXAMPLES TO ILLUSTRATE THE INEFFICIENCY RESULTING FROM THIS SEPARATION OF POLICIES REGARDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE SLOWNESS IN THE BUILDING OF A SPECIAL SCHOOL.

+HOW EASY IT IS FOR ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY TO BE DELAYED BECAUSE TWO BRANCHES ARE INVOLVED, SHE SAID.

+ LET US ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE EXPERTISE OF THE EDUCATIONALISTS IS NECESSARY FOR THE PLANNING AND ORGANISATION OF SPECIAL CLASSES AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE HANDICAPPED.

+THEN WE SHALL NOT HAVE ILL-CONCEIVED SCHEMES AND BADLY- PRESENTED PAPERS BASED ON UN SOUND EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PREMISES.+

MISS BENNETT FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT ALL THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT BE PLACED UNDER THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SHE NOTED THAT A SMALL GROUP OF UNOFFICIALS FORMED TO STUDY THE PRESENT SITUATION IN THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD MET WITH THE HONG KONG ADVISER ON THESE INSTITUTIONS.

THE UNOFFICIALS, SHE POINTED OUT, WERE PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH HIS RECOMMENDATION THAT YOUNGSTERS ON REMAND AND PROBATION SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THOSE IN THE INSTITUTIONS UNDER CARE AND PROTECTION ORDER.

+WERE THEY SO SEPARATED, I BELIEVE WE COULD USE THE SKILL AND EXPERIENCE OF OUR NEWLY-APPOINTED EXPERT IN THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO DRAW UP PROGRAMMES FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO AT AN EARLY AGE ARE ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF BECOMING FUTURE CRIMINALS AND RECIDIVISTS.

+THIS WILL LEAVE THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUNG PEOPLE FOUND TO BE IN NEED OF CARE AND PROTECTION, MISS BENNETT SAID.

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