XN000022-1987-01-21 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987

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TRAINING INSTITUTE DESERVES CLOSE STUDY

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THE CONCEPT OF SETTING UP AN INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING FOR PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES DESERVED A CLOSER AND MORE IMMEDIATE LOOK, THE HON SELINA CHOW TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODDAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 2, MRS CHOW SAID SUCH AN INSTITUTE WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE ALL LEVELS OF TRAINING UNDER ONE ROOF, BUT WOULD ALSO OFFER AN EXCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR RESEARCH STUDIES ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION.

SHE RECALLED THAT THE PROPOSAL TO SET UP SUCH AN INSTITUTE AS PUT FORWARD BY THE 1981 WHITE PAPER ON PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES WAS REGARDED AS A MOST IMAGINATIVE AND SINCERE INITIATIVE ON GOVERNMENT'S PART TO UPGRADE THE STANDARD OF THIS UNIVERSALLY DEMANDED SERVICE.

+NOW, FIVE AND A HALF YEARS LATER, I AM DISAPPOINTED TO SEE A BACKTRACKING. INSTEAD OF SETTING UP THE INSTITUTE AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED IN SEPTEMBER 1984, THE GOVERNMENT'S WORKING PARTY, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1982 TO IMPLEMENT THIS TASK, DECIDED AGAINST IT,+ SHE SAID.

SHE NOTED THAT THE RATIONALE GIVEN FOR THE DECISION WAS THAT THE ORIGINALLY INTENDED COMBINED TRAINING FUNCTION OF THE INSTITUTE FOR BOTH KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AND CHILD CARE CENTRE STAFF WAS NO LONGER APPLICABLE BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN REQUIREMENT FOR THE FORMER AND A DECREASE FOR THE LATTER.

+HOW SUCH A KEY DISCREPANCY COULD HAVE ARISEN IN THE PLANNING FIGURES IN THE SPACE OF ONE YEAR IS PUZZLING, SHE SAID.

MRS CHOW ADDED THAT IN ANY CASE, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHY GIVEN THE RATHER URGENT NEED TO TRAIN A LARGE NUMBER OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS QUICKLY AND CONTINUOUSLY, THE ORIGINAL SCHEME WAS NOT ADAPTED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

SHE SAID THAT IN STEPPING UP PRESENT EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE NUMBERS IN QUALIFIED ASSISTANT TEACHERS, ATTENTION HAD BEEN DIVERTED FROM TRAINING QUALIFIED KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS.

+MORE WORRYING IS THE LACK OF MENTION FOR TRAINING OF HEAD TEACHERS OR PRINCIPALS OF KINDERGARTENS, WHO REQUIRE THE ACQUISITION OF LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS FOR THEIR POSITION,+ SHE SAID.

TURNING TO THE PROPOSED FEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME, MRS CHOW SAID ALTHOUGH SHE AGREED WITH THE BASIC THINKING THAT KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE FULLY AIDED FOR SOME TIME TO COME, SHE DID BELIEVE IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE TEACHERS MET CERTAIN BASIC QUALIFICATION AND WERE PAID ACCORDINGLY.

/+I THEREFORE .....