XN000022-1992-07-20 — Page 3

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MONDAY, JULY 20, 1992

OF

AT PRESENT THERE ARE NO DEFINITIVE FIGURES ON THE NUMBER STUDENTS IN HONG KONG SCHOOLS THAT COULD BE REGARDED AS ACADEMICALLY GIFTED,

A

HOWEVER, USING AN IQ SCORE OF 130 AS THE CUT-OFF POINT PRACTICE ADOPTED IN THE UK, THE USA AND SINGAPORE IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AROUND 20,000 HONG KONG STUDENTS (OR TWO PER CENT) IN THE SIX 18 AGE BRACKET BELONG TO THIS CATEGORY.

TO

WHILE THERE IS A GOOD VARIETY OF MEANS IN HONG KONG FOR DEVELOPING STUDENTS' GIFTEDNESS AND TALENTS IN MUSIC, ARTS AND SPORTS, MR

CHAN ADMITTED THERE IS AS YET NO SPECIFIC PROVISION WITHIN THE GENERAL EDUCATION SYSTEM TO CATER FOR ACADEMICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS.

THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, IN ITS FOURTH REPORT PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 1990, RECOMMENDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-BASED FOR GIFTED STUDENTS.

PROGRAMMES

"THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMES WOULD AIM ΤΟ ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEIR GIFTED STUDENTS BY OFFERING SUITABLE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES FOR THEM, MR CHAN SAID.

"THIS OPTION WOULD ENABLE GIFTED STUDENTS TO LEARN TO LIVE WORK WITH THOSE LESS ABLE THAN THEMSELVES.

IF

AND

"THEY WOULD BE TREATED LIKE OTHER CHILDREN AND YET HAVE THE CHANCE TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL.

AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION, PLANS ARE NOW IN HAND TO CARRY OUT A PILOT PROJECT AIMED TO DESIGN SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMES TEST THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN SCHOOLS, MR CHAN ADDED.

AND

ONE OF THE FIRST TASKS IS TO DESIGN INSTRUMENTS FOR IDENTIFYING GIFTEDNESS AND CREATIVITY AMONG LOCAL STUDENTS.

THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB HAS DONATED $1 MILLION FOR THIS

PURPOSE.

ALL TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS THE HONG KONG PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AND TO BID FOR THE RESEARCH FUNDS. THE ACTUAL RESEARCH WORK WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN THE 1992-93 SCHOOL YEAR.

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THE NEXT STAGE WILL BE TO COMMISSION RESEARCH STUDIES TO ESTABLISH THE REQUIRED DATA ON GIFTED STUDENTS IN HONG KONG,

"WE SHALL THEN SET UP A PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ΤΟ DEVELOP SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMES, CARRY OUT A PILOT PROJECT AND EVALUATE ITS EFFECTIVENESS," MR CHAN SAID, ADDING THAT FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THIS.

"AT THE SAME TIME A RESOURCE CENTRE WILL BE ESTABLISHED PROVIDE TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPORT."

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