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ACTION OS-03
INFO OCT-01 EA-11 ISO-00 CU-04 NSC-10 AID-20 A-01 /050 W
--------------------- 061860
R 280318Z FEB 74
FM USLO PEKING
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1429
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FOR A/OS, LUEBKE AND EA/PRCM, ARMSTRONG
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: ASCH CH
SUBJ: SCHOOLING OF USLO CHILDREN
REF: HOROWITZ LETTER TO LUEBKE OF DECEMBER 13.
1. WE WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING DR. LUEBKE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
REGARDING PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR USLO CHILDREN. BASED
ON HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ON WHETHER IT WILL BE FEASIBLE
TO BRING AN AMERICAN TEACHER OR TEACHING COUPLE HERE, WE WILL
SOON HAVE TO MAKE FIRM PLANS FOR THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR.
2. WITH RESPECT TO AN AMERICAN TEACHER OR TEACHING COUPLE,
THERE ARE QUESTIONS SUCH AS STATUS, PASSPORTS, HOUSING,
AND PRIVILEGES THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED, AND IT
WOULD BE NECESSARY, WE BELIEVE, TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH
THE CHINESE. WE WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE ANY VIEWS OR COMMENTS
THE DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE ON THIS ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM.
3. THE FACTS ARE THAT WE NOW HAVE FIVE CHILDREN OF ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AGE ATTENDING BOTH THE PAKISTAN SCHOOL IN THE
MORNINGS AND A TUTORING CLASS USING CALVERT MATERIALS IN
THE AFTERNOONS. ACCORDING TO CURRENT INFORMATION, WE WILL
HAVE SEVEN BY NEXT FALL OR EIGHT IF WE INCLUDE ONE
KINDERGARTEN CHILD.
4. THE PAKISTAN SCHOOL IS STILL FAR FROM IDEAL, AND ITS
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CURRICULUM AND TEACHING METHODS ARE GENERALLY SUBSTANDARD.
HOWEVER, USLO PARENTS ARE NOT NOW INCLINED TO WITHDRAW THEIR
CHILDREN FROM IT, BUT ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF CONTINUING IT
ALONG WITH AN APPROPRIATE AMERICAN SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAM.
5. AS FOR THE CHINESE SCHOOL, THERE WERE RECENT ATTEMPTS
IN PEKING BY THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS TO OBTAIN CHANGES IN
ITS CURRICULUM AND TO SHORTEN THE SCHOOL DAY. THIS WOULD
HAVE PERMITTED THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY TO ORGANIZE A
SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAM IN ENGLISH. THESE PROPOSED CHANGES
WERE NOT ACCEPTED, AND THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, AT LEAST
IN SOME GRADES, EVEN WITHDREW FOREIGN TEXTBOOKS THAT HAD
BEEN USED FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGES. SOME PARENTS IN THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHO HAVE TEACHING EXPERIENCE ARE TRYING
TO ORGANIZE SHORT SUPPLEMENTARY SESSIONS FOR SOME CHILDREN
IN THE CHINESE AND PAKISTAN SCHOOLS THAT WOULD BEGIN AFTER
4. P.M. TWO DAYS A WEEK. IT IS THE VIEW OF USLO PARENTS
THAT THE CHINESE SCHOOL AS NOW STRUCTURED, EVEN WITH THESE
PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTARY SESSIONS, DOES NOT OFFER A SATISFACTORY
SOLUTION FOR US.
6. OUR AFTERNOON CALVER TUTORING CLASS HAS WORKED OUT WELL
(AND IS THE ENVY OF OTHER PARENTS IN PEKING) ALTHOUGH
WE DO NOT HAVE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS AND ALTHOUGH THE
CALVERT MATERIAL, AS DR. LUEBKE POINTED OUT, IS NOT AN
APPROPRIATE SUPPLEMENT TO THE PAKISTAN SCHOOL CURRICULUM.
IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET A PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN
TEACHER OR TEACHING COUPLE, WE WOULD CONSIDER
ASKING PAT HOLDRIDGE TO STAY ON TO CONTINUE TO RUN OUR
PROGRAM NEXT YEAR, OR WE COULD TRY TO INTEREST ONE OF THOSE
PARENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHO HAS TEACHING
EXPERIENCE TO TAKE OVER. WE WOULD ALSO NEED ADVICE ON
WHAT MATERIALS WE MIGHT USE IN LIEU OF CALVERT.
7. REQUEST PRCM PASS COPY OF THIS MESSAGE TO MR. BRUCE
IF HE IS STILL IN WASHINGTON.
JENKINS
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