XN000022-1982-12-17 — Page 24

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1982

HOW TO MAKE THE SCHOOL A HAPPIER PLACE

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HAYE

GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL AUTHORITIES ARE MAKING SCHOOLS HAPPIER PLACES FOR ALL WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THEM, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY). +BUT STRESS IS A PROBLEM WHICH MUST BE FACED, HE ADDED.

SPEAKING TO 250 SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS AT THE OPENING OF A SEMINAR ENTITLED TOWARDS A HAPPIER LIFE IN SCHOOL, MR HAYE OUTLINED VARIOUS LONG AND SHORT TERM MEASURES WHICH COULD HELP STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TACKLE PRESSURES.

+ IN HANDLING STRESS IN SCHOOLS WE HAVE TO SPOT IT EARLY

DEAL WITH IT PROMPTLY, AND, MOST IMPORTANT, TRY TO PREVENT It,. MR HAYE SAID.

HE SAID THE LONG TERM MEASURES LOOKED FAIRLY OBVIOUS - MORE TEACHERS, SMALLER CLASSES, REVISED SYLLABUSES BETTER GEARED TO THE ACTUAL NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN, WITH WIDER OPTIONS FOR SUBJECTS, BETTER STANDARDS ACROSS THE BOARD AND PUBLICITY TO CHANGE PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND ESTABLISH A GREATER AWARENESS OF CHILDREN'S NEEDS.

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ON A SHORTER-TERM BASIS, MR HAYE ASKED SCHOOL HEADS TO EXPLORE:

HOW TO ENSURE THE MAXIMUM TEACHER/PUPIL CONTACT INFORMALITY, MORE +APPROACHABILITY+;

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MORE

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A RE-CONSIDERATION OF PRESENT EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMMES LESS ACADEMICALLY ORIENTED, MORE SOCIETY/WORLD OF WORK RELATED ;

ATTEMPTS WITHIN SCHOOL TO PLAY DOWN THE IMPORTANCE OF EXAMINATIONS LESS APPARENT EMPHASIS ON THE PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS BEING THE +END+;

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HOW TO IMPROVE PRESENT SYSTEMS OF ASSISTANCE TO THE SCHOOLS BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RELEVENT DEPARTMENTS; AND,

WHAT MIGHT BE DONE FOR TEACHERS UNDER STRESS.

MR HAYE STRESSED THAT PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THE PRESENT PICTURE WAS NOT SO BLEAK AS SOME WOULD PAINT.

+WE THINK OUR SCHOOLS ARE HAPPY PLACES IN WHICH MUCH OF THE PRESSURE HAS BEEN RELIEVED BY EDUCATIONAL REFORMS IN RECENT YEARS. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE CHOSEN THE THEME 'TOWARDS A HAPPIER LIFE IN SCHOOL', HE SAID.

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UNDERLINING THE VALUE OF SUCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE MR HAYE SAID THEY BROUGHT TOGETHER THOSE MOST DIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH MAKING EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND IMPLEMENTING IT.

+SEMINARS ARE NOT ALL TALKS. THEY LEAD TO TANGIBLE RESULTS SUCH AS MORE TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS,+ MR HAYE SAID.

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