XN000022-1992-12-16 — Page 8

WHY NOW

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1992

FOR

NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO SET COHERENT AND COMPREHENSIVE AIMS SCHOOLS. FIRST, WE HAVE MET THE BASIC AIMS OF PROVIDING SCHOOL PLACES FOR THE YOUNG POPULATION. WE CAN THEREFORE DISCUSS THE FULL MBANING OF SCHOOLING MORE REALISTICALLY AND CONFIDENTLY. SECONDLY,

WE HAVE ALREADY EARMARKED ON A SERIES OF POLICY INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION INCLUDING A NEW MECHANISM FOR SETTING AND DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM, MORE AND BETTER TEACHERS, MORE MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING AND MORE REALISTIC USE OF THE TEACHING MEDIUM. HAVING CLEAR AIMS WILL FACILITATE THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. THIRDLY, SCHOOLS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF A SOUND EDUCATION. ALL CONCERNED WILL NEED TO

BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTS ON SOME OBSERVATIONS

MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THIS DEBATE, HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT STATEMENT OF AIMS. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. AS THE DOCUMENT IS STILL IN THE CONSULTATION MODE. IT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME ΤΟ GIVE DETAILED SPECIFIC ANSWERS AT THIS STAGE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE JUST TWO POINTS.

FIRST. THE DRAFT STATEMENT IS INTENDED TO BE CONCISE, ALL- EMBRACING AND RELATIVELY TIMELESS, IN ORDER THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND AND IDENTIFY WITH IT. IT MAY NOT THEREFORE CONTAIN THE DEGREE OF SPECIFICITY THAT SOME MAY PREFER TO SEE. THE BREVITY OR EVEN THE ABSENCE OF SPECIFIC MENTION IN THE DOCUMENT DOES NOT HOWEVER, MEAN THAT A CONCEPT OR AN ISSUE IS EXCLUDED.

HAVE NOT, FOR INSTANCE, OVERLOOKED THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING OUR STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG'S POST-1997 STATUS: THIS IS COVERED IN 12 SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND CIVIC AWARENESS.

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AIM

SECONDLY, THE PROPOSED AIMS ARE STATEMENTS OF THE EXPECTED OUTCOME AND NOT PROPOSALS FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THEMSELVES. THE TASK OF MAPPING OUT HOW TO GET TO THE DESIRED OUTCOME WILL HAVE ΤΟ BE ASSUMED BY PEOPLE IN THE FIELD WITH THE GOVERNMENT BACKING THEM UP WITH POLICIES AND RESOURCES. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE WORK ALREADY DONE BY THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO PRODUCE A FAR MORE DETAILED SET OF CURRICULUM AIMS FOR SPECIFIC LEVELS OF SCHOOLING TO GUIDE TEACHERS AND CURRICULUM PLANNERS. THUS THE ABSENCE OF ANY MENTION OF DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION PLANS IS NOT A WEAKNESS OF THE DRAFT DOCUMENT.

WHAT NEXT

THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PERIOD ON THE DRAFT STATEMENT OF AIMS RUNS UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER. I HOPE THAT EDUCATORS AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WILL LET US HAVE THEIR VIEWS BY THEN. ONCE ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE BEEN ANALYSED, THE COMMISSION WILL REVISE THE DOCUMENT WHERE NECESSARY. THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDER ADOPTING THE STATEMENT AS A FORMAL POLICY DOCUMENT. YOU.

WILL THEN

THANK

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