XN000022-1991-03-29 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1991

MEANWHILE, REVISED ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY CENTRE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED ΤΟ DISTRICT OFFICES.

"THE GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP FOR THE REFERENCE OF DISTRICT STAFF IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A UNIFORM STANDARD IN BOTH MANAGEMENT AND PROVISION OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC IN THESE CENTRES AND HALLS.

"DISTRICT OFFICERS WILL WORK OUT AT DISTRICT LEVEL DETAILED INDIVIDUAL MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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"THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE REGULARLY REVIEWED, MODIFIED OR REVISED WHEREVER NECESSARY, BASED ON PRACTICAL OPERATING EXPERIENCES," HE ADDED.

IMPORTANCE ON COMPUTER EDUCATION STRESSED

THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY DELEGATES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AT THE MICROCOMPUTERS IN EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE REFLECTS THE GROWING CONCERN OF EDUCATORS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER USAGE IN EDUCATING THE YOUNG, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR LI YURT-TING, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE CONFERENCE'S OPENING.

MR LI TOLD THE GATHERING THAT HONG KONG HAD A MODEST BEGINNING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER EDUCATION.

THIRTY SCHOOLS WERE FIRST INVITED IN 1982 TO OFFER COMPUTER STUDIES TO SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS, WITH EACH SCHOOL GIVEN 11 EIGHT- BIT, 32K MICROCOMPUTERS AND TWO PRINTERS.

"NOW IN 1991, 347 SECONDARY SCHOOLS, REPRESENTING 90 PER CENT OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ARE EQUIPPED WITH COMPUTERS. THE LATEST MODEL PURCHASED IS THE A.T. COMPATIBLES WITH ONE MEGABYTE MEMORY ON BOARD, COMPLEMENTED BY HIGH RESOLUTION VGA MONITORS, MR LI SAID.

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FOR SCHOOLS BUILT TO A NEW STANDARD DESIGN A FULLY EQUIPPED COMPUTER IS A STANDARD FEATURE AND, AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT, 21 SETS OF MICROCOMPUTERS WILL BE INSTALLED IN THESE ROOMS.

IN THIS WAY, HE SAID, A BETTER MACHINE TO USER RATIO WILL BE ATTAINED FOR THE NEW SCHOOLS.

MR LI SAID CHILDREN WITH 'SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS WERE NOT FORGOTTEN BY SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, 39 SPECIAL SCHOOLS WILL HAVE BERN PROVIDED WITH MICROCOMPUTERS, MANY OF WHICH ARE EQUIPPED WITH ADAPTIVE DEVICES.

"THESE SPECIAL SCHOOLS ARE NOW OFFERING COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEARNING, COMPUTER LITERACY, COMPUTER STUDIES AS WELL AS USING THE COMPUTER AS A COMMUNICATION AND REHABILITATION TOOL, HE SAID.

/WHEN COMPLETED