XN000022-1982-11-17 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1982

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ELITE SCHOOLS ALSO OPEN TO POOR HAYE

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THE SELECTION AND ALLOCATION SYSTEMS OF HONG KONG'S EDUCATION ARE SO GEARED THAT ABILITY IS RECOGNISED AND THE CHILDREN OF THE POOR HAVE ACCESS TO ELITE SCHOOLS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE DIOCESAN GIRLS' SCHOOL, MR HAYE SAID A FEW WEEKS AGO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT HONG KONG MIGHT HAVE A TWO-TIERED EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WITH SOME SCHOOLS FOR THE RICH AND OTHER SCHOOLS FOR THE NOT SO RICH.

+ IN REJECTING THE SUGGESTION I SAID THAT WHILE HAD HEARD MANY CRITICISMS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM I HAD NEVER HEARD IT SAID THAT BRIGHT CHILDREN WERE TURNED AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT AFFORD THE FEES. NOR SHOULD THEY.+

HE ADDED THAT WHILE THE POOR HAD ALWAYS HAD ACCESS TO DGS AND THE OTHER ELITE SCHOOLS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS, +WE HAVE THROWN THE DOORS WIDER, AND, TO THE GREAT HONOUR OF YOUR PRINCIPAL AND HER COLLEAGUES, DGS HAS GONE ALONG WITH US. +

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NEVERTHELESS MR HAYE PROMISED THAT THE PROCESS WOULD NOT BE EXTENDED TO DESTROY THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF DGS AND OTHER SUCH SCHOOLS.

HE SAID, IN WIDENING THE ABILITY RANGE OF THE PUPIL INTAKE WE HAVE OPENED THE DOOR TO A LIBERALISATION OF THE CURRICULUM TO REFLECT THAT ABILITY RANGE; BUT THE AIM IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVISATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

+THE AIM IS STILL EXCELLENCE, BUT SOMEWHAT BROADER BASED THAN THE RATHER NARROW ACADEMIC TRADITION OF THE PAST.+

HE WELCOMED A REMARK BY THE PRINCIPAL OF DGS, DR JOYCE SYMONS, THAT ALTHOUGH SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE GENERAL MALAISE OF SOME OF THE GIRLS DGS NOW HAS TO ADMIT+, SHE WAS DETERMINED TO DO THE BEST FOR THEM TO EQUIP THEM FOR THE FUTURE.

HE ADDED THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE +GENERAL MALAISE+ TO WHICH DR SYMONS REFERRED WOULD RESPOND TO THE THERAPY OF TRADITION AND EXCELLENCE, THE HIGH STANDARDS SET BY THE STAFF AND THE REST OF THE PUPILS.

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