XN000022-1983-10-27 — Page 16

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1983

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+1 SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT ALL OF US INVOLVED IN EDUCATION NEED TO, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, TAKE SOME TIME TO REFLECT ON OUR OWN BEHAVIOUR AND ASSESS HONESTLY HOW SUCH BEHAVIOUR MAY AFFECT THOSE UNDER OUR CHARGE.+

ON MORAL EDUCATION, SHE SUGGESTED THAT SOME RESEARCH BE UNDERTAKEN TO EVALUATE THE RESULT OF WHAT WAS CURRENTLY BEING DONE IN SCHOOLS.

THE DATA WOULD BE USEFUL FOR IDENTIFYING AREAS OF NEED, AND COULD LEAD TO A REVIEW OF METHODS USED AS WELL AS TO CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM, SHE SAID.

SHE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT A +GENERAL STUDIES+ COURSE SHOULD BE INTRODUCED AT FORM VI LEVEL TO GIVE STUDENTS AN INSIGHT INTO DISCIPLINES WHICH ARE NOT THE IR MAIN COURSES OF STUDY. AS EXAMPLES, SHE MENTIONED SCIENTIFIC METHODS FOR ARTS STUDENTS AND HUMANITIES FOR SCIENCE STUDENTS.

SHE SAID, THE AIM OF THIS COURSE WOULD BE TO WIDEN THE IR HORIZON, TO STIMULATE THEIR SOCIAL AWARENESS, AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM IN RATIONAL ANALYSIS OF CURRENT AFFAIRS.+

SHE ENVISAGED THAT AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COURSE, STUDENTS IN GROUPS WOULD HAVE TO PLAN AND EXECUTE A PROJECT IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THE PROGRESS MADE BY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS COULD BE DETERMINED THROUGH CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT BY TEACHERS RATHER THAN

BY EXAMINATION.

ON THE THIRD PREREQUISITE, SHE FELT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACQUIRE TECHNOLOGICAL SKILL.

SHE COMMENDED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TWO-YEAR PILOT SCHEME IN COMPUTER STUDIES IN 30 SCHOOLS AND SAID, IF WE ARE TO KEEP PACE WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY, OUR STUDENTS MUST BE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE BASIC SKILLS AT AN EARLY AGE SO THAT THEY CAN DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND LITERACY IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES.+

TURNING TO THOSE WHO NEED CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR BETTER QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. MRS FAN SUGGESTED THAT ENCOURAGEMENT BE GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT-CENTRED, SELF-LEARNING PROGRAMMES.

THIS METHOD, SHE SAID, WOULD ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO STUDY AND PROGRESS AT HIS OWN PACE.

SHE ALSO PROPOSED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES FOR SUITABLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS ON +APPROVED+ TRAINING COURSES.

+THE SUBSIDY SHOULD GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT RATHER THAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE FORM OF REIMBURSEMENT OF A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE FEES AFTER A STUDENT HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AN APPROVED+ COURSE.

+THIS METHOD OF SUBSIDY MAY PROVE TO BE LESS COSTLY THAN OTHER ALTERNATIVES IN THE SHORT TERM. AND GOVERNMENT HAS THE FLEXIBILITY OF GEARING ITS SUPPORT TO SPECIFIC AREAS OF NEED FOR ECONOMIC PURPOSES,+ SHE SAID.

/COMMENTING ON