Asian Teachers In Chch.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 6

Asian Teachers In Chch.

Seven Colombo Plan teachers are in Christchurch al the end of a 10-month course in New Zealand. They will spend three weeks watching teaching at the Christchurch Teachers’ College. During the last week they will visit Christchurch schools and study classes.

In South-east Asia, children began school at the age of five or six, the teachers said. In Indonesia, Mr Oejoen Sanit said, there were examinations each year. These determined class promotion. The school leaving age in all the countries was 12 to 13.

Mr Chong-Kook Rhee, a high school teacher in South Korea, said most people in his country were educated to a high standard and many had degrees.

There were two million unemployed, so to gain a position in the Public Service or in any bank in South Korea an applicant -'‘'vied a University deg)-

In all the countries, English was the second language, although in Sarawak it was spoken in schools and was the official language of the state. In Indonesia English was a third language after national and regional Indonesian,

Four of the teachers are married. The wife of one is studying at the University of Hawaii. The teachers will assemble with other Colombo Plan students in Wellington on November 24 for a seminar to exchange ideas gained while In New Zealand.

Above from left: Mr K h a t e Ratanajarana (Thailand); Mr ChongKook Rhee (South Korea); Mr Oejoen Sanit (Indonesia); Miss Lay Lay Tan (Singapore); Miss Wong Fui Yin (Sabah); Mr Zainal-Abi-din Haji Merjan (Sarawak).