XN000022-1991-01-11 — Page 15

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1991

GROVT DETERMINED TO IMPROVE ENGLISH STANDARDS

*

THERE

EFFECTIVE STANDARDS

SINCE

ARE NOT ENOUGH SCHOOL LEAVERS WITH SKILLS IN ENGLISH, A FALSE IMPRESSION HAS BEEN CREATED THAT

THE SECRETARY FOR OF ENGLISH ARE FALLING WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE NOT, EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR K.Y. YEUNG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY},

PUBLIC

MR YEUNG EXAMINATIONS,

POINTED

RESULTS OF OUT THAT RESEARCH FINDINGS, INFORMATION FROM THE

AND POLYTECHNICS

THAT INDEED PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH COUNCIL INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN

THE AN IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARDS OF ENGLISH AT SCHOOL LEVEL THROUGHOUT 1980'S, RATHER THAN TO ANY DECLINE.

SPEAK ING AT A CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS ENGLISH COMMUNICATION ENGLISH WERE SKILLS, MR YEUNG SAID THE PERCEPTION THAT STANDARDS OF DECLINING STEMMED FROM THE PROBLEM OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

FOR EMPLOYEES SUCCESS AS AN ECONOMY HAS FUELED DEMAND "OUR WITH EFFECTIVE AND WIDE-RANGING SKILLS IN ENGLISH TO SATISFY THE NEEDS OF COMMERCE, THE FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES, GOVERNMENT

AND OTHER INDUSTRIES, SERVICES,

ALL OF COMMUNITY BUSINESS TO A GREATER OR LESSER EXTENT IN ENGLISH.

WILICH

AND

DO

THEIR

EXCESS

"THIS DEMAND HAS NOW OUTSTRIPPED THE SUPPLY, AND THE IS ACCENTUATED BY THE CONTINUING SHIFT AWAY FROM MANUFACTURING TOWARDS THE SERVICES INDUSTRIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE

'UPSKILLING' RAPIDLY

THEMSELVES, MR YEUNG SAID.

ONE.

HF

H

STRESSED

THAT THE PROBLEM, NEVERTHELESS, WAS

A

SERIOUS

"IT IS ALL VERY WELL TO SAY THAT STANDARDS

ARE

RISING IN

STEADILY, BUT THIS IS COLD COMFORT TO THOSE WHO HAVE GAPS TO FILL THEIR WORKFORCE, HE ADDED.

FACED

I

COMMISSION WITH THIS SITUATION THE EDUCATION LONG AND HARD ABOUT SOLUTIONS, MR YEUNG SAID.

THOUGHT

THE COMMESSTON HAD, IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO.

LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS TO

RECOMMENDED

YEUNG SAID.

THE

PROBLEM,

4

P

MR

RECOMMENDATION 6 WOULD ADDITIONAL

ON THE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS, MR YEUNG SAID THE ON THE INTRODUCTION OF WHOLE DAY SCHOOLING AT PRIMARY 5 AND GIVE STUDENTS FIVE EXTRA LESSONS A WEEK, ALLOWING TIME FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES WHERE NECESSARY.

THE

INTRODUCTION OF

ATTA INMENT TARGETS AND RELATED

TO ASSESSMENTS

RE-FOCUS PRIMARY 3 AND 6 FOR ENGLISH SHOULD HELP AT ATTENTION AMONG TEACHERS' AND PUPILS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LANGUAGE WITHOUT, HOWEVER, UNDULY DISTORTING THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM.

ENGLISH

ΤΟ A FULL SECONDARY

"TO ENABLE THOSE SELECTED FOR AN ENGLISH MEDIUM EDUCATION COPE PROPERLY AT SECONDARY LEVEL, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS TIME ENGLISH LANGUAGE BRIDGING COURSE IN THE FIRST TERM OF 1," MR YEUNG SAID.

/"IT ALSO