XN000022-1984-05-09 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1984

HK LEADS IN NEW TRAINING SYSTEM FOR DISABLED

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HONG KONG IS THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO APPLY THE MODULES OF EMPLOYABLE SKILLS (MES) SYSTEM TO THE TRAINING OF DISABLED PERSONS, THE PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT, MR GEORGE RIBEIRO, SAID TODAY.

THE MES SYSTEM, USED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE DISABLED SECTION SINCE 1983, WAS DEVELOPED BY THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION,

THROUGH THE SYSTEM, DISABLED PEOPLE ARE HELPED TO DEVELOP THE IR POTENTIAL AND TO ACQUIRE TECHNICAL SKILLS.

AT PRESENT, 266 TRAINEES ARE RECEIVING MES TRAINING IN THE KWUN TONG AND ABERDEEN SKILLS CENTRES.

THE PROGRAMMES INCLUDE INDUSTRIAL SEWING, ELECTRONIC AND OFFICE MACHINE PRACTICE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

THESE COURSES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF MANPOWER SURVEY REPORTS PUBLISHED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

UNDER THE MES SYSTEM, EACH JOB IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL LOGICAL AND ACCEPTABLE DIVISIONS OF WORK, KNOWN AS MODULAR UNITS.

EACH MODULAR UNIT IS TECHNICALLY SELF-CONTAINED AND FORMS

A PART OF THE JOB SPECIFICATION OF A FULLY QUALIFIED CRAFTSMAN.

THE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR INDUSTRIAL SEWING, FOR INSTANCE IS MADE UP OF MODULES, INCLUDING THE SKILLS OF OPERATING LOCKSTITCH SEWING MACHINE, OVERLOCKING MACHINE AND HEMMING MACHINE.

THE TRAINEES, MAKING USE OF SHORT, CONCISE AND ILLUSTRATIVE LEARNING MATERIALS, CAN LEARN AND PERFORM TASKS ON THEIR OWN, SEEKING EXPLANATION AND DEMONSTRATION FROM INSTRUCTORS WHEN DIFFICULTIES ARE ENCOUNTERED, MR RIBEIRO EXPLAINED.

ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS THAT INSTRUCTORS CAN PAY MORE ATTENTION TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AND EACH TRAINEE CAN PROGRESS AT HIS OWN PACE, MR RIBEIRO SAID.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PROVIDES A VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT SERVICE AND TECHNICAL AIDS FOR DISABLED PERSONS.

THE SERVICE IS RUN BY A WORKING TEAM COMPOSED OF AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, A SOCIAL WORKER, A SELECTIVE PLACEMENT OFFICER, A DOCTOR, AN INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND FIVE WORK EVALUATORS.

IN ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE DISABLED PERSON'S CAPACITY AND LIMITATIONS, THE TEAM TAKES INTO ACCOUNT HIS PHYSICAL STRENGTH, PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AND VOCATIONAL ABILITY.

THE ASSESSMENT