XN000022-1983-11-17 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1983

TECHNICAL EDUCATION PILOT SCHEME PROPOSED

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A PILOT SCHEME FOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS', FULL-TIME TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR FORM THREE LEAVERS, MR R.L. HELMORE, CONSULTANT TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, MR HELMORE SAID THERE

WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE NUMBER OF APPRENTICESHIPS WAS LEVELLING OFF, MAINLY BECAUSE MORE PUPILS WERE CONTINUING IN SCHOOL FOR THE FOURTH AND FIFTH FORMS.

+FOR MANY OF THEM, AS OTHER OBSERVERS HAVE NOTED, THE TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM IS QUITE UNSUITABLE AND THEY DO BADLY IN THE EXAMINATIONS AT FIFTH FORM LEVEL, HE SAID.

IN MR HELMORE'S VIEW, THE DESIRE TO CONTINUE IN SOME FORM OF FULL-TIME EDUCATION BEYOND FORM THREE IS SUCH A STRONG SOCIAL TREND THAT IT IS BEST TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT BY PROVIDING AN

ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM OF A MORE VOCATIONAL KIND USING THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE TRAINING CENTRES NOW BEING CONSTRUCTED, TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM WOULD BE

A BETTER PREPARATION FOR JOBS IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE THAN IS PROVIDED BY THE PRESENT ACADEMIC ROUTE, BUT WOULD AT THE SAME TIME KEEP THE DOOR OPEN TO FURTHER STUDY FOR THOSE CAPABLE OF UNDERTAKING IT.

A WELL-DESIGNED COURSE OF THIS KIND LASTING 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS SHOULD ENABLE APPRENTICESHIPS TO BE SHORTENED SINCE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INITIAL SKILL TRAINING BEFORE ENTERING EMPOYMENT.

MR HELMORE ALSO SAID THAT THE WORK OF THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES WAS ONE OF SOUND ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGH STANDARD.

THE STRONG DEMAND FOR THE INSTITUTES COURSES INDICATED THAT THEY ARE HELD IN HIGH REGARD BY STUDENTS AND PARENTS, AND EMPLOYERS HE HAD MET SPOKE WELL OF THE PRODUCT OF THE INSTITUTES, HE SAID.

MR HELMORE SAID HE THOUGHT PRESENT APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES NEEDED REVIEW, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR THE FORM THREE LEAVER, WHO WAS INCREASINGLY RARE BECAUSE OF THE TENDENCY TO STAY ON LONGER IN FULL-TIME EDUCATION, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE RATE OF CHANGE IN INDUSTRY WAS SO RAPID THAT THE IDEA OF A SINGLE SKILL LASTING FOR A WORKING LIFE-TIME WAS NO LONGER TENABLE.

IT IS FOR THESE REASONS, MR HELMORE SAID, HE IS RECOMMENDING THAT AN URGENT REVIEW OF APPRENTICESHIP IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN.

/OTHER