XN000022-1984-04-24 — Page 7

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1984'

6

VALUE OF PREVOCATIONAL CLASSES STRESSED

****

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION ARE AN

INDICATION OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES TO THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) AT THE FOUNDATION STONE LAYING OF THE CMA CHOI CHEUNG KOK PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL AT TUEN MUN.

THESE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH MR HAYE OUTLINED, INCLUDE THE INTRODUCTION OF FORM IV AND V CLASSES TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR TECHNICIAN PROGRAMMES IN THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND PROVISION OF GRADUATE TEACHER POSTS TO THE SCHOOL ESTABLISHMENT.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE EXPANSION OF THE CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE MORE NEW SUBJECTS SUCH AS COMPUTER STUDIES, MARI NE ENGINEERING AND LIGHT METALWORK AND FINISHING AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE DESIGN OF THE NEW PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE BETTER FACILITIES.

MR HAYE RECALLED THAT PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION WAS INTRODUCED IN 1970, WITH A TECHNICALLY BIASED CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION OF INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG. IT WAS SUITED TO STUDENTS WITH AN APTITUDE FOR PRACTICAL SUBJECTS.

+THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION HAS PROVED VERY POPULAR TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS, AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE FACT THAT EVERY YEAR, THE FORM I PLACÉS IN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE HEAVILY OVER-SUBSCRIBED,+ MR HAYE SAID.

IN THE CURRENT YEAR 10 452 PRIMARY 6 LEAVERS ARE BIDDING FOR ABOUT 3 000 FORM I PLACES IN THESE SCHOOLS. BUT MR HAYE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE SHORTAGE WOULD BE EASED WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE 12 PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS.

THE CMA CHOI CHEUNG KOK PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL IS NAMED AFTER THE HONORARY PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, WHO HAS MADE A BIG DONATION TOWARDS THE CAPITAL COSTS AND IS THE SUPERVISOR-DESIGNATE OF THE SCHOOL.

THIS SCHOOL WILL BE THE FIRST OF FOUR SUCH PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS PLANNED FOR TUEN MUN NEW TOWN.

IT WILL HAVE 16 CLASSROOMS, NINE WORKSHOPS FOR TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SUBJECTS AND SEVEN SPECIAL ROOMS INCLUDING A TYPING ROOM, A SCHOOL LIBRARY AS WELL AS LABORATORIES FOR SPECIAL SUBJECTS SUCH AS LIGHT METALWORK AND FINISHING AND AIR-CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION.

IN THE FIRST YEAR, THE NEW SCHOOL WILL OPERATE NINE CLASSES, SEVEN CLASSES OF FORM 1 AND TWO CLASSES OF FORM IV. WHEN THE SCHOOL IS FULLY DEVELOPED IN 1986, THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 25 FORM I TO V CLASSES, MR HAYE SAID.

17