XN000022-1985-01-23 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985

THIS WAS EVIDENCED IN JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION WHERE THE PURCHASE SCHEME HAD NOT LED TO A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE STANDARD OF FORM 1-3 EDUCATION IN UNSATISFACTORY PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH BOUGHT PLACES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SATISFACTORY PRIVATE SCHOOLS WERE AT LIBERTY TO APPLY AND BECOME SUBSIDISED ONES.

+I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE UP THIS OPTION,+ MISS TAM SAID.

A POINT ALSO RAISED WAS THAT THE COST REQUIRED TO PURCHASE PLACES FROM PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS WAS ESTIMATED AT $70 MILLION PER YEAR, AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT COMPARED WITH THE CURRENT ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION, MISS TAM FELT.

SHE SAID SOME HAD SAID INTRODUCTION OF ANOTHER MEANS TO ALLOCATE CHILDREN TO FORM 4 CRAFT PLACES UPON ABOLITION OF THE JSEA WOULD CAUSE UNNECESSARY STRAIN TO STUDENTS.

+THE FACT IS SOME MEANS OF ALLOCATION IS NEEDED IF ONLY TO ENSURE EDUCATIONAL COMPATIBILITY, + MISS TAM SAID.

A WORKING GROUP, CONSISTING OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STAFF SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS AND EDUCATORS, WOULD BE SET UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO STUDY WHAT MEANS OF ALLOCATION TO ADOPT IN 1991 AND HOW TO LIGHTEN THE BURDEN OF THE JSEA.

WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT THE NEW MEANS OF ALLOCATION IN 1991 WOULD NOT BE LIKE THE JSEA.

SINCE SUBSIDISED PLACES WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL WHO WISHED TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, PARENTS AND STUDENTS NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF FURTHER STUDY.

THE LLEWELLYN REPORT ALSO ACCEPTED THE NEED FOR SOME KIND OF ASSESSMENT UPON PHASING OUT OF THE JSEA, MISS TAM SAID.

SHE SAID THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO BE LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING MORE INTERESTING AND LESS ACADEMIC STUDIES IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

+FINALLY, SHE SAID, THERE MAY BE DOUBTS ABOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE 35 ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS ON SCHEDULE, AS SLIPPAGE ALWAYS OCCURS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME.

+TO THIS END UNDERSTAND THAT SITES FOR 11 OF THE 35 SCHOOL S HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AND CONSTRUCTION WILL COMMENCE WITHIN THE YEAR.+

CONCLUDING, MISS TAM SAID IT WAS A DEEP PASSION IN THE CHINESE TRADITION TO EDUCATE OUR YOUNGER GENERATION THE BEST WE COULD, AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSION HAD VERY MUCH IN MIND THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.

+ I BELIEVE THE APPROACH RECOMMENDED IS SOUND BOTH IN EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC TERMS AND I HOPE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME WILL BE SUPPORTED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS COUNCIL, SHE SAID.

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