XN000022-1990-04-26 — Page 25

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THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1990

BOE VISITS EBENEZER SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

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STUDENTS AT THE EBENEZER SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, AFTER COMPLETING FORM 3 AND IF FOUND CAPABLE, ARE INTEGRATED INTO ORDINARY SCHOOLS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WERE TOLD THIS TODAY (THURSDAY).

TWENTY-FIVE OF THESE STUDENTS ARE NOW STUDYING IN NINE ORDINARY AIDED SCHOOLS.

THE BOARD MEMBERS VISITING THE SCHOOL WERE ALSO TOLD THAT OTHER STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN THE COURSES OFFERED BY THE KWUN TONG SKILLS CENTRE FOR THE DISABLED RUN BY THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS, COMPRISING MR CHAN YING-LUN, MRS MINNIE LAI AND MR TAM MAN-KWAN, WERE ACCOMPANIED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (SERVICES), MRS GRACE YUNG.

THE EBENEZER SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND ORIGINATED IN 1897 AS A HOME FOR FIVE GIRLS IN WESTERN DISTRICT BUT IT MOVED TO TO KWA WAN FOUR YBARS LATER AS A SCHOOL FOUNDED BY THE HILDESHEIM MISSION OF GERMANY.

THE SCHOOL MOVED TO ITS PRESENT SITE IN 1930 AND WAS RENAMED THE EBENEZER SCHOOL AND HOME FOR THE BLIND. NINE YEARS LATER BOYS WERE ADMITTED.

IN 1956 THE SCHOOL WAS REGISTERED UNDER THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE AND IN 1962 THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED.

FROM ITS MODEST BEGINNING AS A HOME FOR FIVE GIRLS, THE EBENEZER SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND IN POK FU LAM TODAY HAS FACILITIES WHICH INCLUDE A GYMNASIUM, SWIMMING POOL, LIBRARY AND A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.

BOARD MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE PUPILS FOLLOWED THE ORDINARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITH CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF TEACHING AND ENGLISH BEING TAUGHT AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.

PUPILS IN THE PRIMARY 1 TO 5 AND SECONDARY 1 TO 3 CLASSES LEARN BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH BRAILLE BUT THOSE WITH LOW VISION ARR ENCOURAGED TO USE THEIR SIGHT THROUGH THE USE OF MODERN AIDS.

THE VISITORS WERE TOLD MOBILITY TRAINING AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION ARE IMPORTANT SUBJECTS IN HELPING

PUPILS

ACHIEVE

BETTER

MOBILITY AND CONFIDENCE.

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