XN000022-1983-12-16 — Page 11

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1983

VALUE OF +COMMON SENSE MANAGEMENT STRESSED

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THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMON SENSE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF EDUCATION WAS STRESSED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A SEMINAR FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS ORGANISED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING UNIT. MR HAYE SAID THAT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED IN SCHOOLS DEPENDED MUCH ON HAVING +PEOPLE IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN THE SCHOOLS POSSESSING THE QUALITIES NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP+.

THIS WAS WHY THE DEPARTMENT'S RECENTLY ESTABLISHED TRAINING UNIT WAS GIVING SUCH URGENT PRIORITY TO MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR HEADS OF SCHOOLS, HE SAID.

+ THE UNIT CONCENTRATED INITIALLY ON RUNNING A SERIES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION COURSES BUT NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE NEED FOR DETAILED PLANNING FOR MANAGEMENT TRAINING COURSES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS AND POTENTIAL HEADS, MR HAYE SAID.

SCHOOL HEADS WERE INVOLVED IN A GREAT VARIETY OF WORK INCLUDING FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL WORK, COUNSELLING AND GUIDANCE AS WELL AS INTERVIEWING, INVOLVEMENT WITH LEGISLATION AND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES EVEN TEACHING, HE SAID.

+PREPARATION FOR THESE MANAGEMENT AND PASTORAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN SKILLS AND COMPETENCES ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT.

+THESE ARE MADE EVEN MORE URGENT BY THE RAPID EXPANSION OF SECONDARY PROVISION OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS WHICH HAS SEEN THE COMPLETION OF SOME 98 NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND WITH IT THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW HEADS, HE SAID.

IN THIS RESPECT, MR HAYE SAID, HONG KONG EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS - SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND THE OFFICE TEND TO BE TRADITIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL.

+THIS 'MECHANISTIC TYPE OF ORGANISATION HAS BEEN THE PRODUCT OF LARGELY STABLE CONDITIONS.

+BUT IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN EVIDENCE OF A RAPID RATE OF CHANGE WHICH SUGGESTS THAT A NEW ORGANIC' TYPE OF ORGANISATION IS REQUIRED TO MEET SITUATIONS IN WHICH NEW AND UNFAMILIAR PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY ARISE WHICH CANNOT BE BROKEN DOWN AND DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE EXISTING SPECIALIST ROLES, MR HAYE SAID.

/+DURING THIS