XN000022-1982-11-25 — Page 9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1982

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MORE SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT IN TAI PO

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NINE GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDISED OR ASSISTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE EITHER BEING BUILT OR PLANNED TO BE BUILT IN TAI PO WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE WONG SHIU CHI MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED SECONDARY SCHOOL IN TAI PO ESTABLISHED 20 YEARS AGO.

THE NUMBER OF THESE SCHOOLS IN TAI PO HAS NOW GROWN TO SEVEN, HE SAID.

+THE DRAMATIC GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF SUCH SCHOOLS PERHAPS REFLECTS THE EXTENT OF EXPANSION AND TRANSFORMATION WHICH TAI PO IS AND WILL BE UNDERGOING FROM A TRADITIONAL MARKET TOWN INTO A MODERN NEW TOWN WITH A QUARTER OF A MILLION POPULATION,-

MR MACPHERSON SAID.

+WHILE IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SCHOOL PLACES TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THE GROWING POPULATION IN TAI PO, IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE SCHOOLS SO BUILT ARE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED WITH A LOCAL IDENTITY AND FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, SO THAT RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT WILL ALL TAKE PRIDE IN SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO THESE SCHOOLS TO BE EDUCATED AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,+ HE SAID.

HE COMMENDED THE ACHIEVEMENTS MADE IN THIS REGARD BY THE WONG SHIU CHI MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MANY OTHER SCHOOLS IN TAI PO.

MR MACPHERSON SAID THAT THE EXTENT OF INVOLVEMENT OF SOME OF THE IR SUPERVISORS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN LOCAL SPORTING ACTIVITIES AND ARTS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS AND IN THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES REFLECTED THIS.

+I AM SURE THEY ARE SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE FUTURE SCHOOLS IN TAI PO TO FOLLOW, SO THAT STUDENTS AND GRADUATES OF SCHOOLS AND GENERALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE EDUCATED WITH A STRONG COMMUNITY SPIRIT, AND GENERALLY BE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE WELL-BEING OF LOCAL COMMUNITY. AND MORE PREPARED TO VOICE THE PROBLEMS OF THE DISTRICT AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS TO THEM, HE SAID.

+THE PROMOTION AND MAINTENANCE OF SUCH COMMUNITY SPIRIT AMONG THE POPULATION AT LARGE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT KEYS TO THE SUCCESS OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE WHICH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS CAN PLAY IN THIS REGARD CAN HARDLY BE OVER-EMPHASISED, HE ADDED,

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