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The Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, visited Tsuen Wan this afternoon (October 24) to look at the rapid developments of the first new town in Hong Kong.
Mr Suen visited a primary school to observe students' study life. He met a family to learn more about their concerns on education and social issues. He also visited a social enterprise which provides housekeeping services to the working force in the district, and also met District Council members and they exchanged views on various issues of concerns.
After a briefing on the latest development by the Chairman of Tsuen Wan District Council, Mr Chau How-chen and District Officer Mrs Alison Lau, Mr Suen went to his first destination ˇX Tsuen Wan Government Primary School.
Tsuen Wan Government Primary School was established in 1961 as Hoi Pa Street Government Primary School. It was relocated to the present premises in 1999 and converted into a whole-day primary school. Accompanied by school principal Mrs Chan Lam Wai-ling, Mr Suen observed students' learning and extra-curriculum activities. He was pleased to see students actively participate in environmental protection programmes and news reporter training activities with students practicising news writing on computer and mock news role playing.
Mr Suen was impressed by student reporters' performance in conducting interviews in English and Chinese and in mock news reporting. He encouraged students to practise more in speaking in English and reading English materials, with an objective to further improve their English proficiency. He also told students that the findings of some international surveys (such as PISA) had shown an improving performance of our primary students.
The Secretary learned from the school principal how the school was striving for whole-person development of students. The school had participated in the "Understanding Adolescent Project" in 2004-05, which enriched students' life experiences through various activities. The school also joined the "Enhanced Speech Therapy Scheme" in 2006-07, under which in-house speech therapists were hired to offer assessment and follow-up training to students in need.
Mr Suen then visited a family to get a better understanding of their daily lives. The couple made efforts to participate in ownersˇ¦ corporation and parent teacher association despite their busy schedules, which Mr Suen appreciated, and he commended them for their active participation in community services while striking a good balance in work and family life. Mr Suen chatted with the couple on the implementation of the new senior secondary school curriculum and the setting up of the Working Group on Development of Textbooks and E-learning Resources.
Mr Suen later visited a social enterprise which started operation last August. He was briefed on the support services it provided to residents in rural area in Tsuen Wan by taking care of the elderly and assisting them with domestic work as well as accompanying family members to attend medical appointments.
Mr Suen noticed that the enterprise now hired five full-time local domestic helpers who are helping working households with elderly family members. It would gradually employ more full-time helpers. Apart from providing job opportunities, the enterprise also trained these helpers to enhance their earning capacity in the market. Mr Suen talked to a full-time domestic helper sharing her working experience and how her employer's appreciation of her work had brought along a sense of achievement.
Mr Suen ended the visit by meeting District Council members and exchanging views with them on various local issues.
Ends/Friday, October 24, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:21
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