XN000022-1989-06-27 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, JUNE 27,

1989

LADY WILSON SAID THE HONG KONG RED CROSS, AS A PIONEER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, HAD SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED SINCE 1954 FOUR SPECIAL SCHOOLS, ONE HOSTEL FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED YOUTHS, AND 11 HOSPITAL SCHOOLS, TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND CARE FOR THE LESS FORTUMATE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

"THROUGHOUT THESE 35 YEARS, THE HONG KONG RED CROSS HAS ALWAYS AIMED AT BRINGING OUT THE LATENT POTENTIAL OF HANDICAPPED YOUTHB 10 HELP THEM TO GROW UP AS HAPPY, INDEPENDENT AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

"THE SCHOOLS, THEREFORE, APART FROM PROVIDING THE CHILDREN WITH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FROM PREPARATORY CLASS TO SECONDARY LEVEL, ALSO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULUM, MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THEY ARE KEEN TO SEE CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN, SHE SAID.

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LADY WILSON NOTED THAT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THESE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE WAS ALSO WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY SPECIALISTS, NAMELY PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, NURSES AND SOCIAL WORKERS.

ON FOR THE 11 HOSPITAL SCHOOLS ATTACHED TO MAJOR HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG, LADY WILSON SAID THESE SCHOOLS OFFERED CONVALESCING CHILDREN CHANCES TO STUDY DURING THEIR STAY IN HOSPITAL SO THAT THEY MIGHT SMOOTHLY RESUME NORMAL SCHOOLING WHEN THEY WERE DISCHARGED HOSPITAL.

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AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND PSYCHIATRICALLY DISTURBED ADOLESCENTS COULD ATTEND LESSONS IN FOUR OF THESE HOSPITAL SCHOOLS, SHE SAID.

NOTING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE HONG KONG RED CROSS, LADY WILSON SAID IT WAS SO GOOD TO KNOW THAT SOME PAST STUDENTS OF THE RED CROSS SCHOOLS HAD MANAGED TO FURTHER THEIR STUDIES IN UNIVERSITIES, POLYTECHNICS, AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTES.

OTHERS HAD JOINED THE WORKFORCE IN VARIOUS TRADES, SHE ADDED.

"OF COURSE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE THE COMBINED EFFORTS THEIR OWN HARD WORK AND THE DEDICATED CONTRIBUTION OF THE STAFF RED CROSS SCHOOLS, AND PARENTS, WHO ALWAYS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART.

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"I DO SINCERELY HOPE THAT OUR SOCIETY WILL GIVE THESE GRADUATES FROM SPECIAL SCHOOLS, FULL SUPPORT, BY OFFERING THEM CHANCES OF EMPLOYMENT, 30 THAT THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR DEDICATION TO BE ACTIVE AND SERVING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IS NOT WASTED," SHE SAID.

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