XN000022-1987-11-03 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1987

TO MEET THE PROJECTED REQUIREMENTS AND EXPANSION, MR LAN SAID 10 MORE NEW PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WITH THE PROVISION OF 14,000 PLACES WOULD BE BUILT IN STAGES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THIS WOULD BRING THE NUMBER OF PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS TO 28 PROVIDING MORE THAN 29,000 3CHOOL PLACES BY 1992. THREE OF THE SCHOOLS WOULD BE LOCATED ON HONG KONG ISLAND, SIX IN KOWLOON AND THE REMAINING 19 IN THE NEW TOWNS.

MR LAN STRESSED THAT PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WERE NOT VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTIONS. RATHER, THEY WERE ALL MODERN SECONDARY SCHOOLS EQUIPPED WITH EXPENSIVE FACILITIES TO PROVIDE A GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO INTENDED TO SWITCH TO TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

"A

TO

PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL HAS AN ENRICHED TECHNICAL CURRICULUM ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT 45 TO 50 PER CENT OF THAT FOR SECONDARY 1 TO 3 AND 30 PER CENT FOR SECONDARY 4 AND 5," HE SAID.

TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL SUBJECTS OFFERED BY PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS INCLUDED METALWORK, ELECTRICITY, TECHNICAL DRAWING, PRINTING, WOODWORK, ELECTRONICS, TEXTILES, CAR REPAIRS, ENGINEERING STUDIES, AIR-CONDITIONING, INTERIOR DECORATIONS, ART AND DESIGN, FASHION AND CLOTHING, ACCOMMODATION AND CATERING, TYPING, BOOK-KEEPING, OFFICE PRACTICE, RETAILING, COMPUTER STUDIES AND COMMERCIAL KNOWLEDGE.

FOR SECONDARY 6 AND 7 STUDENTS, THE TECHNICAL SUBJECTS WOULD INCLUDE ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICITY, GRAPHICAL COMMUNICATION, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (METAL BASED), ART AND DESIGN, COMPUTER STUDIES, PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTS AND BUSINESS STUDIES. THE COURSE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE LANGUAGES AND MATHEMATICS AS THE MAIN GENERAL SUBJECTS.

MR LAN SAID PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS OFFERED A PROSPECT CERTAINLY

· COMPARABLE TO THAT OF GRAMMAR SCHOOLS AND URGED NEXT YEAR'S PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS AND THEIR PARENTS TO WEIGH ALL THE MERITS AND DEMERITS INCLUDING THEIR CHILDREN'S APTITUDE AND INTEREST BEFORE DECIDING ON THE STREAM OF SECONDARY EDUCATION THEY WOULD PURSUE.

HE SAID LAST YEAR'S PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS RECEIVED 10,400 APPLICATIONS FOR 4,400 SECONDARY 1 PLACES. IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, MORE PLACES WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON COMPLETION OF PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.

THREE NEW

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