XN000022-1994-07-06 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994

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GOVT NO INTENTION TO CENSOR TEXTBOOKS

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY MRS ANSON CHAN, THIS (WEDNESDAY} SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD NEITHER POLITICAL MOTIVES NOR ANY CENSOR TEXTBOOKS.

MORNING WISH TO

ATTENDING

MRS

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ABOUT HISTORY TEXTBOOKS AFTER THE HONG KONG OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY, CHAN SAID: "WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH HERE IS WHETHER THE GUIDELINES THAT WE LAID DOWN FOR HISTORY TEXTBOOKS FOR SECONDARY 4 TO 7 SHOULD EQUALLY APPLY TO HISTORY TEXTBOOKS FOR SECONDARY 3, IN OTHER WORDS, WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A CHRONOLOGICAL CUT-OFF POINT."

SHE NOTED THAT FOR SECONDARY 4 TO 7 HISTORY TEXTBOOKS, EVENTS

UP TO 1976 COULD BE COVERED, BUT NOT BEYOND THAT.

MRS CHAN STRESSED THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE PARTICULAR PUBLISHER CONCERNED DECIDED TO RETAIN THE REFERENCE TO THE TIANANMEN EVENT OR NOT, IT WAS ALREADY ON THE APPROVED LIST OF TEXTBOOKS FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.

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"SO THERE IS NO QUESTION OF US SAYING IF YOU DON'T REMOVE IT, THEN WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR USE IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, SHE SAID.

"AS THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION HAS POINTED OUT, WE HAVE NOW REFERRED THE MATTER TO THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND WE WILL, OF COURSE, LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE ON THIS,

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TEACHERS OFFERED BETTER PROSPECT AND TRAINING

THERE WILL BE 180 GRADUATE TEACHER POSTS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR IF FUNDING IS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

OFFICIATING AT THE OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GRADUATE TEACHER POSTS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO 880 BY 1997.

BY 2007, IT IS EXPECTED TO GO UP TO 6,000, OR EQUIVALENT TO 35 PER CENT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

"THIS NEW ESTABLISHMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE INCREASE OF GRADUATE TEACHER POSTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL STRENGTH THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN HONG KONG. TEACHERS WILL ALSO ENJOY A BETTER PROMOTION PROSPECT."

MRS CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE MERGING OF THE FOUR COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND THE INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION TO THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION WOULD UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF TEACHER EDUCATION AND ITS PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.

/THE NEW