XN000022-1985-11-28 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985

APART FROM THIS, FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE +POLICY OF ATTACHING EQUAL WEIGHT TO BOTH LANGUAGES+ IN THE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION, THE JUDICIARY, THE CIVIL SERVICE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE PROTECTION OF CONSUMER RIGHTS WOULD ALSO HELP TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE, HE SAID.

+ IF WE WANT STUDENTS TO LEARN ENGLISH WELL, WE SHOULD FIRST IMPROVE ON THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH ESPECIALLY DURING THE NINE YEARS OF FREE EDUCATION,

+ IT IS POINTED OUT IN THE LLEWELLYN REPORT THAT FOR THE MAJORITY, HONG KONG IS A SOCIETY IN WHICH ONLY ONE LANGUAGE IS USED, AND YET A SECOND LANGUAGE IS BEING USED AS A MEANS TO PROVIDE COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

+THIS IS NO DOUBT A HINDRANCE TO THE PROMOTION OF THE QUALITY OF THE NINE-YEAR FREE EDUCATION AND HAS RESULTED IN WASTAGE OF INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION,

+ I WOULD THEREFORE STRESS THE WIDER USE OF THE MOTHER TONGUE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION DURING THE NINE YEARS OF FREE EDUCATION,+ HE SAID.

MR SZETO SAID IT WAS SURPRISING THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN THE ANNUAL ADDRESS.

IF WE WERE TO DEVELOP A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, PREPARE FOR THE RESTORATION OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG TO CHINA, PREPARE FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE ADMINISTERING HONG KONG' AND HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO BECOME A HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THE STRENGTHENING OF CIVIC EDUCATION SHOULD BE TREATED AS A MATTER OF GREAT URGENCY, HE SAID.

HE CRITICISED THE +GUIDELINES ON CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS+ FOR LACKING IN THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE AND SENSE OF PARTICIPATION.

+NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS IS LAID ON NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS. THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW, AN UNDERSTANDING OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, POSITIVE PARTICIPATION, WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON COMMITMENTS AND SO ON.

+STUDENTS CANNOT POSSIBLY ASSOCIATE WHAT THEY LEARN WITH THE CHANGING SOCIAL BACKGROUND IN WHICH THEY LIVE,+ HE SAID.

IN PARTICULAR, MR SZETO SAID, THE LACK OF CULTIVATION OF NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS, WHETHER OVERLOOKED INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY, WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FUTURE.

HE REGRETTED THAT THE SUGGESTION TO INTRODUCE CIVICS AS A COMPULSORY SUBJECT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAD NOT BEEN ACCEPTED AND THAT NO CONCRETE ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THOSE SCHOOLS WHICH VOLUNTARILY INTRODUCED SUCH A SUBJECT IN THE IR CURRICULUM.

/THE AUTHORITIES