ADULT EDUCATION BOARD (Textbooks for special classes)

Mr Teong Eng Siong asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that there are still no textbooks prescribed for the special classes of the Adult Education Board this year, and if he proposes to prescribe them.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng (for the Minister for Education): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, first, I have to point out that my Minister is fully aware of what is going on in the Adult Education Board. I must also point out that plans for the special classes were made towards the end of last year. Within a short period of 2½ months, after the decision to run these special classes was made, the Adult Education Board has successfully launched these classes for 5,000 students, which is a very outstanding achievement. Since these special classes would cater for students who were unsuccessful more than once in the Primary School Leaving Examination, it was agreed that the programme should lay emphasis on craft training and the acquisition of technical skills. While there was provision for academic subjects, e.g., the Language of instruction, Science, Mathematics and Civics, the content of these subjects would relate to the practical and real-life situation and not the abstract.

Syllabuses were drawn up for each subject to indicate the items to be taught, the skills to be developed and the attitudes to be inculcated. Since the programme was being launched for the first time, it was felt that the syllabuses should be considered experimental, to be modified and adjusted in the light of actual experience gained in the teaching situation.

Syllabuses drawn up covered (i) Language, (ii) Mathematics and Science, (iii) Civics, (iv) Dressmaking and Tailoring, (v) Homecraft and Cookery, (vi) Metalwork and (vii) Woodwork.

Prior to 13th January, 1969, before the classes commenced operations, supervisors, senior assistants and teachers of the special classes were briefed on the objectives of the programme and the syllabuses introduced to them. They were told to keep watch on the applicability of the topics chosen and to note particularly any possible shortcoming in the syllabuses. All syllabuses are to be reviewed and, if necessary, revised for the second term.

Since the syllabuses were being tested, it was thought unwise to prescribe textbooks for the students. However, teachers were required to use certain textbooks for their own use in the classroom situation in order to provide a control of the testing period. For certain subjects, teachers drew from several textbooks to find the most suitable material.

By 29th March, every syllabus had undergone the planned testing and evaluation process under actual operational conditions and was redesigned accordingly. At the present moment, the syllabuses are being studied for detail and accuracy. With the issue of the revised syllabuses in the second term. all the students attending these classes will be required to buy certain textbooks which are considered to meet the requirements of the programme. The period of being without textbooks is thus coming to an end.

However, the Member for Sembawang should be assured that there are certain merits in not prescribing textbooks, because teaching in such a situation would become pupil-orientated and not textbook-orientated.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): The Parliamentary Secretary referred to the outstanding achievements of the Adult Education Board. However, the fact that there were no textbooks after the classes were opened was a shortcoming and not an achievement. Another point is that the lack of textbooks would lead to a great deal of inconvenience both to the teachers and the pupils. I am not quite satisfied with his reply.

Mr Speaker: Mr Teong, can we have your supplementary question, please?

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Sir, the Parliamentary Secretary has not said when the books will be ready for the pupils.

Mr Speaker: That is not a supplementary question, Mr Teong. Mr Selvadurai.