XN000022-1994-01-17 — Page 9

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1994

HKIED SET TO UPGRADE TEACHER EDUCATION

TO

THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION (HKIED) IS COMMITTED UPGRADING THE QUALITY OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, THE CHAIRMAN

THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE INSTITUTE, MR SIMON

SAID.

IN

IP,

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION ON TOWARDS A NEW ERA TEACHER EDUCATION JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TODAY (MONDAY), MR IP POINTED OUT THAT ONE FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THE UPGRADING PROCESS WAS A SOUND ACADEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

HE SAID:

"THE INSTITUTE WILL INITIALLY CONCENTRATE ON UPGRADING COURSES AT THE PRE-DEGREE LEVEL WHILE PREPARING ΤΟ OFFER SOME DEGREE PROGRAMMES AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.

"THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES TO BE OFFERED IN THE FIRST ACADEMIC YEAR (1994/95) WILL EMBRACE ALL COURSES BEING OFFERED BY THE EXISTING COLLEGES.

IS

TO

AS

"MEANWHILE, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE EXISTING CURRICULUM BEING CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THAT THE CURRICULUM WILL BE DESIGNED THE PRESENT-DAY NEEDS OF SCHOOLS AS FULLY AND EFFECTIVELY POSSIBLE."

MEET

HAD

IN THIS CONNECTION, MR IP CONTINUED, A SPECIAL TASK GROUP BEEN SET UP TO PREPARE FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE TEACHER'S CERTIFICATE COURSE INTO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY STREAMS.

THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL IS ALSO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE BAPTIST-HKU (SPACE) CONSORTIUM AND THE OPEN LEARNING INSTITUTE- CITY POLYTECHNIC CONSORTIUM TO DEVELOP TWO IN-SERVICE BACHELOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMMES FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

MR IP APPEALED TO THOSE WHO ASPIRED TO BECOME TEACHERS AND CONTRIBUTE TO UPGRADING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG TO ENROL IN THE INSTITUTE'S PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES.

HE FURTHER CALLED ON SERVING TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE AT THE INSTITUTE TO ENHANCE THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE SO AS TO MEET NEW INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES.

MR IP ALSO TOLD THE GATHERING THAT A 12.5-HECTARE SITE IN TING KOK ROAD, TAI PO, HAD BEEN DESIGNATED FOR DEVELOPING THE NEW HKIED CAMPUS.

ALL ESSENTIAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE AND ACADEMIC BLOCKS, STAFF AND STUDENT ACCOMMODATION, MAJOR SPORTS AND OTHER FACILITIES, WILL BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE CAMPUS.

IP.

"THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN 1998," SAID MR

/BEFORE THE