XN000022-1987-01-21 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987

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COMMISSION URGED TO TAKE MORE ANALYTICAL APPROACH

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THE EDUCATION COMMISSION MUST IN FUTURE ADOPT A FAR MORE ANALYTICAL, COURAGEOUS AND PENETRATING APPROACH IN ORDER TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE NUMEROUS THORNY ISSUES WHICH BESET THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE HON DAVID LI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 2, MR LI SAID PERHAPS THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF THE REPORT WAS ITS TOTAL LACK OF CANDOUR WITH REGARD TO THE FORCES AT WORK IN THE HONG KONG SCHOOL SYSTEM,

HE SAID THE FACT WAS THAT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS SHAPED BY THE A-LEVEL EXAMINATION SYLLABUS WHICH WAS DETERMINED BY THE REQUIREMENTS OF UNIVERSITIES. THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SYSTEM DETERMINED THE PRIMARY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH IN TURN DETERMINED THE KINDERGARTEN SYSTEM.

+THUS THE REQUIREMENTS OF A FEW THOUSAND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DETERMINE THE WHOLE OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM CATERING FOR A MILLION CHILDREN OF VERY VARIED NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS, HE SAID.

MR LI SAID THE SYSTEM WAS A CLASSIC CASE OF THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG BUT THE REPORT HAD SIMPLY IGNORED THE REAL PROBLEM AND FAILED TO GIVE A PRACTICAL SOLUTION.

TURNING TO PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION, MR LI SAID THE EMPHASIS IN THE REPORT TENDED TO BE MISPLACED,

+TRAINING OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE VERY EXPENSIVE IDEAS TO TRAIN LOCAL ENGLISH TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY WILL RETURN TO THEIR SCHOOLS AND BE UNDER PRESSURE FROM SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, COLLEAGUES AND PUPILS TO MAINTAIN FORMER METHODS AND TO IGNORE THEIR NEW-FOUND SKILLS,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID THE COMMISSION FAILED TO RECOGNISE THE FACT THAT LOCAL KINDERGARTEN WERE ALREADY TOO HIGHLY STRUCTURED. THE LAST THING HONG KONG NEEDED WAS A MORE STRUCTURED APPROACH.

HE DESCRIBED AS +NAIVE+ THE SUGGESTION OF USING LECTURERS IN OTHER DISCIPLINES WHO TOOK AN INTEREST IN KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION TO LECTURE AND TRAIN KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS.

HE SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE PROVIDING STRONG CURRICULUM GUIDANCE FOR KINDERGARTENS. BUT THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS SHORTAGE OF EXPERTISE IN THE DEPARTMENT, AND HENCE POOR CURRICULUM QUIDANCE FOR KINDERGARTENS.

L

/HE ADDED

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