13. ALTHOUGH OTHER ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED,
THE PARTICIPATION FROM THE REFUGEES HAS NOT BEEN ENCOURAGING.
INITIAL ENTHUSIASM SCON GIVES WAY TO APATHY AND IT IS DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO PERSUADE THEM TO CONTINUE. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS PLANNED TO BUILD UPON THE RE-STRUCTURED EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND TO ATTEMPT TO INTEREST THE REFUGEES
IN ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
14. RUDIMENTARY TRAINING PROGRAMMES COVERING WOODWORK, TAILORING,
SEWING, KNITTING AND EMBROIDERY ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTED IN ALL CLOSED CENTRES. IN ORDER TO PREPARE REFUGEES BETTER FOR RESETTLEMENT, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE UNHCR ARE WORKING WITH THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO DEVELOP A PROPERLY CO-
ORDINATED COVATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME GEARED TOWARDS JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
HAS ASKED THESE COUNTRIES FOR THEIR VIEWS ON THE BASIC SKILLS
WHICH BEST WOULD PREPARE REFUGEES IN THE CLOSED CENTRES FOR
RESETTLEMENT.
15. HOWEVER, THE ATTITUDE OF THE REFUGEES TOWARDS VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS NOT ENCOURAGING. INITIAL ENTHUSIASM IS NOT SUSTAINED
AND EVEN QUITE EXPENSIVE TRAINING COURSE, SUCH AS METAL WORKING,
HAVE HAD TO BE ABANDONED. IT IS ENVISAGED THAT A BALANCE WILL HAVE
TO BE DRAWN BETWEEN VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND COTTAGE INDUSTRY AND
BETWEEN TRAINING WHICH WOULD BEST PREPARE REFUGEES FOR
RESETTLEMENT AND TRAINING WHICH THEY ARE PREPARED TO UNDERTAKE. THIS MEANS THAT THE TRAINING WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE ORIENTED
TOWARD THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES WHICH CAN BE SOLD.
16. AT HEI LING CHAU CLOSED CENTRE A PURPOSE-BUILT VOCATIONAL
TRAINING CENTRE IS NEARING COMPLETION. WORLD RELIEF WILL EMPLOY
STAFF WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO SUPERVISE
ACTIVITIES IN THIS NEW CENTRE. CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO THE
CONTENT OF THE COURSES WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED. THE UNHCR HAS
AGREED TO MEET THE RECURRENT COST OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING
CENTRE AT HEI LING CHAU.
17. THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE NATURALLY RELUCTANT TO MAKE
A COMMITMENT REGARDING THE RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES WITH PARTICULAR
VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. HOWEVER, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS INFORMATION THAT 50 OF THE FIRST GRADUATES OF A VOCATIONAL
PROGRAMME IN A CLOSED CENTRE IN MALAYSIA WERE ACCEPTED FOR RESETTLEMENT BY AUSTRALIA. THIS HAS HELPED TO ENSURE THE
SUCCESS OF THESE COURSES. IT IS HOPED TO ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A
SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT IN HONG KONG.
CONFIDENTIAL