XN000022-1984-05-16 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984

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REGARDING THE COST OF THE HEPATITIS B VACCINE, HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD SPENT $573 000 IN EACH OF THE PAST TWO FINANCIAL YEARS FROM 1982-84 FOR THE PURCHASE OF VACCINE.

A COURSE OF VACCINATION FOR AN ADULT COST $515, AND FOR A NEW BORN CHILD $536, INCLUDING HEPATITIS B IMMUNE GLOBUL IN.

SO FAR 1 312 PEOPLE HAD COMPLETED THE COURSE OF VACCINATIONS.

GPA COURSE MAY START IN 1987

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THE SUBJECT OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (GPA) MAY REPLACE ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (EPA) IN FORMS IV AND V FROM SEPTEMBER 1987, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN, MR HAYE SAID THE NEW SUBJECT MIGHT POSSIBLY BE OFFERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR IN PARALLEL TO EPA, JUST AS ECONOMICS AND EPA WERE.

+ IF THE NEW SUBJECT IS INTRODUCED, IT WILL BE A TWO-YEAR COURSE WITH THE FIRST CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION IN 1989.

+I SAY 'IF' BECAUSE A NUMBER OF STEPS HAVE YET TO BE TAKEN BEFORE ANY PROPOSED TEACHING AND EXAMINATION SYLLABUS, INCORPORATING THE VERY IMPORTANT VIEWS OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS, RECEIVES THE FORMAL BLESSING OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY, HE ADDED.

MR HAYE SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW SUBJECT DID NOT NECESSARILY REPLACE A KINDRED STUDY, AND PUPILS AND TEACHERS SHOULD WELCOME AN ADDITIONAL AND MANAGEABLE OPTION.

REPLYING TO A QUERY REGARDING TEACHERS OF GPA, MR HAYE SAID +I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF OUR TEACHERS TO HANDLE THE NEW SUBJECT.·

+THE TIMING I HAVE DESCRIBED WILL PERMIT THE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLICATION OF TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER TEACHING MATERIALS FOR THE COURSE, AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND SEMINARS TO HELP TEACHERS TO ADJUST TO THE NEW SYLLABUS.

+THE TRANSITION WILL BE HELPED BY THE SIMILARITIES OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS OF EPA AND GPA SO THAT CURRENT EPA TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN SWITCHING TO GPA WITH THE SUPPORT OF FRESH MATERIAL, HE SAID.

MR HAYE ASSURED SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS THAT THEY WOULD BE PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT PART IN SHAPING THE TEACHING AND EXAMINATION SYLLABUSES FOR GPA.

+THEY WILL HAVE PLENTY OF NOTICE AND ADEQUATE PREPARATION FOR THE NEW SUBJECT, HE ADDED.