TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 33

4.11

There is already provision under Regulation 37 of the Child Care Centres Regulations governing the furniture requirements for child care centres. The centres are required by law to provide and maintain in good condition, play equipment of types and of a quantity and variety that would satisfy the Director of Social Welfare as being adequate and suitable for the needs of the children. It is proposed that there should be a similar requirement for kindergartens. Appendix 4A lists the basic furniture and equipment which kindergartens should provide in order to satisfy the Director of Education.

4.12

In order to implement a curriculum, effective training of staff is essential and this is considered in detail in Chapter 5.

Primary schools

4.13

At the primary stage, almost all teachers have had a basic training and the standard of furniture and equipment is generally adequate. The most serious curriculum defect at this level is that many schools adopt too formal an approach with too little opportunity for pupils to take an active part in the learning process.

4.14

This section will be dealing with two different aspects of the primary curriculum, what is taught, namely the syllabus, and the way it is taught, or what is often called the 'approach'. Unfortunately the term curriculum is often misunderstood to mean just the syllabus, especially as in Chinese the two terms are identical (). The curriculum can better be defined as the total learning opportunities planned by teachers for pupils. It includes not only the knowledge and skills to be acquired through the various subject areas and their related activities but also the attitudes to be developed.

4.15

A suggested syllabus for each subject is prepared and kept under review by the Curriculum Development Committee. This is a committee composed of heads of schools, teachers and other educators, who with the help of a series of subject committees compile curriculum guides to assist teachers in schools.

4.16

There are three areas in the curriculum which need particular attention: practical subjects, Chinese and English. In the case of practical subjects, the Curriculum Development Committee has recommended that the existing rigid compartmentalization of art, craft, woodwork and needlework should be eliminated gradually and that these integrated practical subjects should aim at developing the child's creativity and power of expression through the use of various media: wood, metal, plastic, clay, fabrics, etc. to pave the way for Design & Technology in the secondary school. The Committee also suggested that the term "Art & Craft" be used eventually to cover the practical field and that equal opportunity be given to pupils irrespective of sex: boys should be allowed to sew and girls to work with wood. The Government feels that these trends should be strongly encouraged.

4.17

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Another subject, music, is frequently not given the attention it deserves. The primary school years offer the most fruitful period for children's corporate and individual musical development. It is therefore proposed that the content and scope of both pre-service and in-service training of music teachers should be widened. Recent developments to promote instrumental

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