XN000022-1984-11-08 — Page 17

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1934

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CIVIC EDUCATION IS FOR COMMUNITY AT LARGE - HAYE

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THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION HAD BEEN DIRECTED NOT ONLY AT SCHOOL CHILDREN BUT ALSO AT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON COLVYN HAYE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

+WHAT HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR SCHOOLS IS AIMED ALSO AT PARENTS, TEACHERS AND THE COMMUNITY,

+WE HAVE THE MECHANISM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY TO HEIGHTEN PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES BUT TO PUT THAT AWARENESS TO THE TEST BY ACTIVE PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT,+ MR HAYE SAID.

HE LISTED, AS EXAMPLES, THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND GREEN PAPER PLANS FOR FURTHER DEMOCRATISATION IN WHICH THERE HAD BEEN WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY INTEREST.

ON THE SCHOOL FRONT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW SUBJECT OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS WAS PROCEEDING ON SCHEDULE, AND THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WOULD SHORTLY BE INVITED TO ADVISE HOW THE CIVIC EDUCATION ELEMENT IN EXISTING SUBJECTS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES COULD BE STRENGTHENED.

MR HAYE SAID THAT SEMINARS HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADS ON CIVIC EDUCATION, AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN PRELIMINARY THINKING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF GUIDELINES WHICH WOULD BE ISSUED TO HELP SCHOOLS TO FURTHER PROMOTE CIVIC AND POLITICAL AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS.

HE SAID THAT MANY OF THE POINTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS REGARDING THE LANGUAGE ISSUE, SUCH AS THE STRENGTHENING OF THE TEACHING OF CHINESE AND PUTONGHUA, HAD BEEN DEALT WITH IN THE FIRST REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WHICH WOULD SOON BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

+MEANWHILE, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION, THE APPOINTMENT OF SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN STANDARD SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE REFORM OF LANGUAGE CURRICULA AT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS AND THE LAUNCHING OF EXTENSIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMMES INTO LANGUAGE PROBLEMS THREE YEARS AGO, THERE HAS BEEN A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH IN OUR SCHOOLS, HE SAID.

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ON THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT (JSEA) ANOTHER ISSUE DEALT WITH BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, MR HAYE POINTED OUT THAT EFFORTS HAD BEEN MADE TO TAKE MUCH OF THE PAIN AND STRAIN OUT OF THE SELECTION AND ALLOCATION ARRANGEMENTS, AND FURTHER EFFORTS WOULD BE MADE TO ALLEVIATE ANY SUCH STRESS.

/+PARENTS ARE