XN000022-1985-05-15 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985

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'SCHOOL AUDIO-VISUAL TECHNICIANS NOT NECESSARY'

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A SUGGESTION THAT AN AUDIO-VISUAL TECHNICIAN GRADE BE ESTABLISHED FOR SERVICE IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THE WIDE USE OF AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT FOR TEACHING PURPOSES WAS NOT CONSIDERED JUSTIFIED, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS REPLYING TO THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN, WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER ESTABLISHING SUCH A GRADE SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO HANDLE THE EQUIPMENT, AND ALLOCATING A PURPOSE-BUILT ROOM AT THE SCHOOL PLANNING STAGE FOR THE STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE OF SUCH EQUIPMENT.

MR LEUNG SAID HE DID NOT THINK THERE WAS A STRONG CASE FOR THE CREATION OF SUCH A GRADE AS STUDENT TEACHERS IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION WERE TAUGHT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE ABILITY TO HANDLE STANDARD HARDWARE AND TO PRODUCE APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE.

+THE PROCUREMENT, ISSUE AND COLLECTION, ORGANISATION AND MAINTENANCE OF AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING MINOR REPAIRS, IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EXISTING SCHOOL STAFF, INCLUDING TEACHERS.

+FOR SERVING TEACHERS, THE VISUAL EDUCATION SECTION OF THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF ADVISORY SERVICES IN THE USE OF AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS THROUGH VISITS, PUBLICATIONS, SEMINARS, SHORT COURSES AND WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED BY THE MEDIA PRODUCTION SERVICES UNIT, HE SAID.

MORE COMPLEX AND VALUABLE AUDIO-VISUAL ITEMS, SUCH AS MICRO-COMPUTERS, TELEVISION RECEIVERS, VIDEO-CASSETTE RECORDERS AND THE WIRE-FREE LOOP SYSTEMS USED FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING, ARE ALL MAINTAINED BY CONTRACTED AGENTS.

THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF DESIGNATING TEACHERS AS AUD 10- VISUAL CO-ORDINATORS, SUPPORTED WHERE NECESSARY BY CLERICAL STAFF AND LABORATORY TECHNICIANS, IS EDUCATIONALLY APPROPRIATE, EFFECTIVE AND SATISFACTORY.

+THE PROVISION OF AN AUDIO-VISUAL TECHNICIAN IS THEREFORE NOT AT PRESENT NECESSARY, MR LEUNG SAID.

AS TO THE PROVISION OF A PURPOSE-BUILT ROOM FOR THE STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE OF AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT, HE SAID THAT THIS WAS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE REVISED STANDARD DESIGNS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

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