ENG-1978 — Page 109

EDUCATION

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technical school-leavers who have a genuine interest in, and a desire to serve, technical education.

The Hong Kong Technical Teachers' College also provides a variety of in-service courses of teacher training. In 1978-9, the college offered a three-year part-time in- service course for technical teachers in prevocational schools. This course serves to improve the techniques of technical teachers who have not received any formal teacher training. On completion of the course, these teachers will be awarded a certificate which carries 'qualified teacher' status.

The industrial trade instructors' courses, offered in the part-time day release, evening and block-release modes of study, aim to improve the instructional technique of supervisors and instructors employed by industry. In addition, the college pro- vides short courses and seminars on specific topics tailored to the needs of various industries.

Proposals in the 1978 White Paper on The Development of Senior Secondary and Tertiary Education seek to improve the quality of teacher training by extending initial training courses to three years, except for those who enter with advanced level qualifications, and by introducing a systematic programme of refresher training for serving teachers.

Adult Education

For young people who have left school and for adults, the Adult Education Section of the Education Department provides both formal and non-formal evening educa- tion through the Evening Institute, the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies, and 16 Adult Education and Recreation Centres.

The Evening Institute offers eight types of formal courses ranging from literacy classes to secondary and post-secondary studies. The general background adult education courses provide fundamental and elementary education at primary level, with special reference to adult needs and interests. Parallel to these are, the practical background courses offering training in housecraft, sewing and knitting, and wood- work to give adults certain basic practical skills for home use. Further up the ladder are three courses at secondary school level - the young people's course, the secondary school courses and the middle school course for adults. The three-year young people's course provides additional training in general education with some practical bias for young primary school-leavers who do not anticipate further studies. However, to give students a chance of furthering their studies, the syllabuses of the young people's course have been brought into line with those of the secondary school courses and the middle school course for adults. Both the six-year secondary school courses and the five-year middle school course for adults provide full academic studies leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examination.

At post-secondary level, teachers' courses provide additional in-service professional training in the teaching of English in primary schools and junior secondary forms; mathematics in junior secondary forms; physical education in secondary schools; and the teaching of art, art and craft, music, woodcraft, handicraft, gymnastics, modern educational dance, folk dance, oriental dance, and educational communica- tion and technology. English courses from Primary 4 to Form 5 standard are offered to prepare adult students for the English-language syllabus of the Hong Kong