XN000022-1986-12-04 — Page 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1986

1.

DECISION MADE ON DB ALLOWANCES

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THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE A DECISION ABOUT REVISED ALLOWANCES FOR DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPEECH DAY OF HEEP YUNN SCHOOL, SIR DAVID SAID THE DECISION WOULD BE PUT BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK.

+SO YOU'LL HEAR ALL ABOUT IT THEN, HE SAID.

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON REMARKS MADE BY THE HEADMISTRESS OF HEEP YUNN SCHOOL, MRS MARY LAI, ABOUT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID I THINK MRS LAI WAS VOICING CRITICISMS WHICH WE HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST.

+ BUT YOU HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT WE HAVE PACKED A GREAT MANY CHANGES TO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR EDUCATION FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL TO SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN A VERY SHORT TIME. AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT IN DOING SO MUCH IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, THERE ARE BOUND TO BE STRESSES AND STRAINS IN THE SYSTEM.

+BUT MRS LAI HAS OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT OUT HER POINT OF VIEW VERY CAREFULLY, AND I'VE CERTAINLY MADE A NOTE OF WHAT SHE SAID, AND WILL BE STUDYING HER SPEECH WITH GREAT CARE.+

WELL-BALANCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR STUDENTS ESSENTIAL

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MODERN AND WELL-EQUIPPED PREMISES ARE ESSENTIAL TO ANY SCHOOL BUT THEY ARE NOT SUFFICIENT IN THEMSELVES TO REALISE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF STUDENTS, IT IS IMPORTANT THEY BE GIVEN A WELL- BALANCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME DESIGNED TO DEVELOP THEM AS WELL- ROUNDED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL SPEECH DAY OF HEEP YUNN SCHOOL WHICH ALSO MARKED ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE, SIR DAVID SAID, +1N THIS REGARD, IT IS HEARTENING TO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL NOT ONLY GIVES RECOGNITION TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BUT ALSO ENCOURAGES ITS STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.+

/SIR DAVID