XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 44

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

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ED TO INTENSIFY PUBLICITY

TO ENCOURAGE USE OF CHINESE AS TEACHING MEDIUM

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PARENTAL ATTITUDE REMAINS A MAJOR PROBLEM HAMPERING THE EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS TO ADOPT CHINESE AS THE TEACHING MEDIUM.

TODAY MICHAEL FURTHER, EDUCATION

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE POLICY ADDRESS (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR LEUNG, SAID TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM AND TO ASSIST SCHOOLS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WOULD INTENSIFY ITS PUBLICITY AND EFFORTS; CHECK THE TEACHING PROGRAMMES ADOPTED BY SCHOOLS AS COMPARED WITH THOSE BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND GIVE FIRM GUIDANCE TO ALL SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER 1997 ON THE APPROPRIATE TEACHING MEDIUM TO ADOPT AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1998.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THESE MEASURES WERE IN ADDITION TO MANY POSITIVE MEASURES THE GOVERNMENT HAD INTRODUCED, INCLUDING PROVISION OF EXTRA ENGLISH TEACHERS.

THE

ON TARGET ORIENTED CURRICULUM, MR LEUNG SAID A SPECIAL BODY WOULD SOON BE ESTABLISHED TO MONITOR THE SCHEME, TO INTRODUCE REMEDIAL MEASURES WHERE NECESSARY, AND TO GUIDE ITS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

"PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS WILL BE GIVEN EVERY SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE, HE SAID.

CURRICULUM IN

THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE THE TARGET ORIENTED PRIMARY ONE CLASSES IN 70 PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER 1995 AND ALL PRIMARY ONE CLASSES IN 1996 HAD BEEN TAKEN AFTER A MOST CAREFUL EVALUATION OF THREE PILOT PROJECTS CONDUCTED IN 1992 TO 1994 AND THE RESULTS OF AN IN-DEPTH STUDY IN 1993, MR LEUNG SAID.

TURNING TO POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS ON REVIEW OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, MR LEUNG SAID TOPICS SUCH AS THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE BASIC LAW AND KNOW MORE ABOUT CHINA HAD ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN SCHOOL SUBJECTS.

"IT IS BEING EXTENDED TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF THE LESS MOTIVATED AND THE LOW ACHIEVERS.

"IN SEPTEMBER 1995, IT WILL UNDERGO A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TARGET ORIENTED CURRICULUM. NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS ALIVE TO THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS AND WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE AND MODIFY OUR SCHOOL CURRICULUM TO MEET THE WIDER COMMUNITY NEEDS.

"OUR SCHOOL CURRICULUM NEVER STAYS STATIC," MR LEUNG SAID.

HE

THE

SAID HE COULD NOT AGREE WITH THE OBSERVATION THAT WHAT COVERNMENT HAD BEEN DOING IN THE IMPORTANT TASK OF RAISING TEACHERS' STATUS WAS SUPERFICIAL.

"THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION AND THE COUNCIL ON PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN EDUCATION ARE CONCRETE STEPS IN THIS DIRECTION. THE CONTINUED UPGRADING OF TEACHING POSTS IN SCHOOLS IS ANOTHER.

"WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE IMAGE OF TEACHERS. TEACHERS THEMSELVES CAN, OF COURSE, HELP BY RAISING OWN PROFESSIONALISM," MR LEUNG SAID.

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