XN000022-1992-04-27 — Page 2

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1992

GOVT REFUTES CLAIMS BY EDUCATION ACTION GROUP

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (MONDAY) REFUTED CLAIMS MADE BY THE EDUCATION ACTION GROUP RECENTLY THAT MANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORTS HAD NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

REFERRING TO REPORTS IN CHINESE NEWSPAPERS OF THE GROUP'S SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS, THE SPOKESMAN GAVE THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION:

(A) REPORT NO. 4

(1) FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF WHOLE DAY PRIMARY SCHOOLING:

THIS IS NOT AMONG THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE COMMISSION PROPOSED A WORK SCHEDULE TO BRING ABOUT MIXED-MODE SCHOOLING AS AN INTERIM MEASURE. THIS PROPOSAL HAS MET WITH OPPOSITION FROM THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL DECIDE ON WHAT TO DO SHORTLY.

YEARS

(2) STRENGTHENING COUNSELLING SERVICES IN SCHOOLS:

THE THREE

IMPROVEMENT MEASURES COSTING $47 MILLION FOR 1992/93 TO 1994/95 WILL BE INTRODUCED AS FROM THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTING SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

(3) PROVIDING VARIOUS LANGUAGE BRIDGING COURSES:

WORK TO PREPARE COURSES AT VARIOUS LEVELS HAS STARTED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PRIMARY 6 SECONDARY 1 BRIDGING COURSE IS WELL UNDER WAY AND LANGUAGE MODULES TO PREPARE SCHOOL LEAVERS FOR EMPLOYMENT ARE BEING DEVELOPED BY THE WORKING PARTY ON VOCATIONAL ENGLISH. BRIDGING COURSES AT S6 AND S7 TO HELP STUDENTS LEARNING IN THE CHINESE MEDIUM TO MEET THE USE OF ENGLISH REQUIREMENT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. RECOGNITION FROM THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IS BEING OBTAINED.

(4) ESTABLISHMENT OF ATTAINMENT

ASSESSMENTS:

TARGETS AND RELATED

FORMULATION OF THE TEACHING TARGETS AND ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS IS PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY. TRAINING OF TEACHERS WILL START IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR IN STAGES. TARGETS AND RELATED ASSESSMENTS (TTRA) WILL BE INTRODUCED IN P.4 IN APRIL/MAY 1993, ON COURSE FOR THE FIRST TARGET RELATED ASSESSMENT AT P.6 IN 1994.

SCHOOLS:

(5) IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY ON MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN.

THE RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE THREE MODES OF OPERATION (ENGLISH, CHINESE OR A MIX OF CLASSES OPERATING IN EITHER CHINESE OR ENGLISH) HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AS POLICY. IMPLEMENTATION IS SCHEDULED FOR 1994 WHEN TTRA RESULTS (SEE (4) ABOVE) WILL HELP SCHOOLS AND TO DECIDE ON MEDIUM TO BE ADOPTED.

PARENTS

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