XN000022-1986-03-22 — Page 4

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1986

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+SOME MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CLIENTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO DEPEND HEAVILY ON OTHERS AND WOULD BECOME EASILY DISTRESSED, MR SUNG SAID, +A PLACEMENT OFFICER'S VISIT AT THE PLACE OF WORK GIVE THEM SUPPORT. +

ON THE EMPLOYERS' SIDE, HE SAID, THE MAJORITY WERE SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE WORKING ABILITIES OF THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED AND WERE RESERVED ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTIVITY.

EXCEPT FOR A SMALL PROPORTION, MOST VACANCIES WERE CANVASSED FROM EMPLOYERS AS A RESULT OF PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS OF THE PLACEMENT OFFICERS.

+ IT IS TRUE THAT EMPLOYING THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED IS NOT CHARITY, + MR SUNG SAID. WHAT THEY NEED IS A FAIR CHANCE.+

MR SUNG URGED EMPLOYERS WHO HAD OPENINGS THAT MIGHT BE SUITABLE FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED TO CONTACT THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE AT 5-296672 OR 0-4988444.

FIRST TEACHERS CENTRE TO BE SET UP

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THE FIRST TEACHERS CENTRE WILL BE SET UP EARLY NEXT YEAR TO PROVIDE A VENUE FOR TEACHERS TO EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE SECOND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION OF HEADS OF AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF HONG KONG. MR LEUNG SAID THE CENTRE TO BE LOCATED AT PAK FUK ROAD, NORTH POINT, WOULD ALSO PROVIDE TEACHING AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL REFERENCE MATERIALS TO TEACHERS.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEACHERS' CENTRE WOULD GIVE IMPETUS TO FURTHER IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PRIMARY EDUCATION, HE ADDED.

MR LEUNG NOTED THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND ALLOCATED SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PRIMARY EDUCATION.

CITING THE CLASS LIBRARY SCHEME AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID THE SCHEME WAS FULLY IMPLEMENTED AT ALL LEVELS OF PUBLIC SECTOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. IT AIMED AT ENHANCING CHILDREN'S READING ABILITY AND TO ENABLE THEM TO ACQUIRE MORE KNOWLEDGE OUTSIDE TEXTBOOKS.

REMEDIAL TEACHING WAS PROVIDED AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO ENABLE PUPILS TO CATCH UP WITH THOSE SUBJECTS WHICH THEY FAILED TO PERFORM WELL, HE CONTINUED.

/IN ADDITION,