XN000022-1987-05-20 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1987

MR PAGLIARI ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A RECENT REVIEW CONDUCTED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT INDICATED THAT THE ORIGINAL MONTHLY WAGE OF $1 300 WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO AN ESTIMATED MONTHLY WAGE OF $11 098 ÎN MARCH 1987.

'AS IN PREVIOUS REVIEWS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS FIGURE SHOULD BE ROUNDED UP TO TAKE SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LIKELY RISE IN THE OVERALL WAGE LEVEL BEFORE THE CEILING IS NEXT REVISED,+ HE SAID.

+THIS PROPOSAL HAS RECEIVED THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD, HE ADDED.

THE MOTION WAS PASSED,

MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE PUTONG HUA TEACHING OUTLINED *****

THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO ENCOURAGE MORE SCHOOLS TO TEACH PUTONG HUJA EITHER DURING SCHOOL HOURS OR AS AN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE MON MICHELANGELO PAGLIARI, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY), REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM PROF THE HON C.K. POON, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR PAGLIARI SAID THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, FOLLOWING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS IN REPORT NO. 1, CONTINUED TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THAT AREA.

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HE SAID APPROXIMATELY 50 PER CENT OF ALL SCHOOLS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY – WERE PROMOTING THE TEACHING OF PUTONG HJA IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

HE OUTLINED THAT AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL, PUTONGHJA WAS INTRODUCES INTO THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM AS AN OPTIONAL SUBJECT IN SEPTEMBER 1986, FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PILOT SCHEME IN A LIMITED HUMBER OF SCHOOLS.

OF THE 874 PUBLIC-SECTOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS, 310 WERE NOW OFFERING PUTONGHUA AS AN INDEPENDENT SUBJECT AND A FURTHER 181 WERE PROMOTING LEARNING OF THE LANGUAGE THROUGH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. +THESE NUMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVER TIME, HE ADDED.

AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, MR PAGLIARI SAID, A PILOT SCHEME COVERING FORMS 1-3 IN 51 SCHOOLS WAS LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 1984 AND WOULD BE COMPLETED IN JULY THIS YEAR. THE SCHEME WAS BEING MONITORED AND EVALUATED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ME ADDED.

HE ALSO