XN000022-1983-07-13 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1983

+1 AM CONVINCED THAT MANY SECONDARY SCHOOLS WOULD WILLINGLY TURN TO TEACHING IN THE MEDIUM OF CHINESE IN FORMS ONE TO THREE IF SUFFICIENT GOOD CHINESE BOOKS WERE AVAILABLE, MISS BENNETT SAID, ADDING THAT 'A' LEVEL COURSES IN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED.

J

MISS BENNETT SAID THAT SIXTH FORM COLLEGES WOULD HELP MANY STUDENTS WHO HAD GAINED ADEQUATE FORM FIVE RESULTS, BUT WHOSE SCHOOLS DID NOT PROVIDE A SIXTH FORM COURSE,

+HOWEVER, SUCH SPECIALISED SIXTH FORM COLLEGES SHOULD SUPPLEMENT THE PRESENT SYSTEM, NOT REPLACE THE EXISTING MATRICULATION CLASSES IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SHE SAID.

MISS BENNETT SAID THAT SHE HAD TO ENDORSE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION ANSWERABLE TO THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF.

+THIS PATTERN OF ADMINISTRATION HAS MUCH TO COMMEND IT AND I TRUST THAT THERE WILL BE AN INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL TO HEAD IT UP.

+WE NEED SOMEONE WITH SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY TO ENSURE THAT THE FINANCIAL PURSE STRINGS ARE LOOSENED TO ENABLE THESE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS TO BE PUT INTO EFFECT,+ MISS BENNETT SAID.

DR RAYSON HUANG SAID THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT PITY IF THE +SHEER COMPREHENSIVENESS OF THE REPORT WAS USED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR DELAY AND OBFUSCATION,+

*WE ALL KNOW THAT JUST NOW FUNDS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY BUT WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL NOT CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE FOR TOO LONG.

+SOME OF THE AREAS OF DEFICIENCY REVIEWED BY THE REPORT ARE SO GLARING THAT THEY DESERVE PRIORITY ACTION WHATEVER THE FINANCIAL SITUATION,+ DR HUANG STRESSED.

AS AN EXAMPLE, HE QUOTED THE FOLLOWING FROM THE REPORT

+MOST OF THE SCHOOLS WE VISITED WERE SPARTAN TO SAY THE LEAST, WITH PUPILS FILLING THE ENTIRE ROOM - 40 TO 45 PER CLASS. SOME WERE BLIGHTED BY HIGH NOISE AND WE WITNESSED TEACHERS USING LOUDSPEAKERS AND SUSPENDING THEIR TEACHING SEVERAL TIMES IN THE COURSE OF A LESSON.+

DR HUANG SAID THAT STATEMENTS LIKE THIS SHOWED THAT IN PHYSICAL FACILITIES ALONE, HONG KONG'S EDUCATION SYSTEM HAD YET A LONG WAY TO GO DESPITE IMPROVEMENTS MADE OVER THE YEARS.

HE SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISH WHICH OF THE PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT SHOULD BE ADOPTED AND MOVE INEXORABLY TO A PHASED IMPLEMENTATION OF THEM+.

+WHATEVER OUR OTHER PRIORITIES, EDUCATION MUST BE AMONG THEM AS HONG KONG FACES AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE WORLD OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.

+ZUR SUNG