XN000022-1992-11-19 — Page 13

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1992

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"I MIGHT SAY THAT, FROM MY OWN PERSPECTIVE, THE PROGRAMME IS NOW ON AUTO-PILOT, THE SECRETARY SAID, ADDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE AND THE INSTITUTIONS COULD BE COUNTED ON TO DO THE REST.

TURNING TO IMPROVEMENTS OF QUALITY OF SCHOOLS, MR CHAN SAID THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S FOURTH AND FIFTH REPORTS HAD PROVIDED THE BLUE PRINT FOR DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS OF MOTIVATING LEARNERS IN SCHOOLS AND ENABLING TEACHERS TO DO A BETTER JOB.

SPECIFIC POLICIES TO GIVE EFFECT TO THESE STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN

DEVELOPED.

FIRST, то ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS BROUGHT ON BY UNIVERSAL EDUCATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED TO ASK SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS то GIVE STUDENTS MORE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION AND GUIDANCE; TO SET UP A NEW CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO REFORM THE WAY IN WHICH THE CURRICULUM IS DEVELOPED; TO SET UP A PILOT SCHEME, STARTING WITH PRIMARY 4 IN MAY 1993, ON ATTAINMENT TARGETS AND RELATED ASSESSMENTS TO HELP TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FOCUS MORE CLEARLY ON THEIR TASKS; TO RATIONALISE THE MEDIA OF INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS TO HELP AND ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO RECOGNISE THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.

AND

SECONDLY, MR CHAN SAID, AS RECOMMENDED IN ECR5, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF TEACHERS WHICH INVOLVES NOT ONLY BETTER TRAINING BUT ALSO MOTIVATING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND SERVING TEACHERS TO JOIN.

THIRDLY, SCHOOLS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN MANAGEMENT, AND IN RETURN, THEY ARE GIVEN MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF THEIR RESOURCES.

MR CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT ΤΟ QUALITY ALSO EXTENDED TO VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IMPROVEMENTS IMPLEMENTED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL (VTC) IN THE PAST FEW YEARS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION PROVIDED IN THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES INCLUDE BETTER LIBRARIES, TEACHING AIDS, COMPUTING FACILITIES AND STUDENT AMENITIES; SCHEMES FOR THE EXTERNAL MODERATION OF COURSES; AND PROCEDURES FOR THE PREPARATION AND UPDATING OF STUDY PROGRAMMES AND FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT

PERFORMANCE.

THE TRANSFER OF SUB-DEGREE PLACES FROM THE POLYTECHNICS TO VTC HAS PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO RATIONALISE AND IMPROVE THE CRAFT TRAINING OFFERED IN THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND TRAINING CENTRES.

ΤΟ SUM UP, MR CHAN SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WAS MOVING WITH

DETERMINATION TOWARDS BETTER QUALITY IN EDUCATING AND TRAINING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR LIFE AND WORK IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

HE SAID: "THIS IS A CRUCIAL TASK BECAUSE, WHATEVER THE FUTURE MAY BRING, NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT THAT HONG KONG HAS ΤΟ RELY PRINCIPALLY ON THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF ITS PEOPLE TO SURVIVE AND PROSPER, HE SAID.

"WE HAVE VERY SOLID FOUNDATIONS UPON WHICH WE CAN BUILD. WE KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GO, AND WE NOW HAVE A CLEAR ROAD MAP TO GUIDE US TO OUR DESTINATION, HE ADDED.

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