Appendix D-Contd.
84 As part of the package of measures designed to improve standards of attainment in English, a two-year pilot scheme will be launched in September 1987 whereby interested aided and government secondary schools would be provided with expatriate teachers of English.
85 The Vocational Training Council continues to expand its activities in technical education and industrial training. It plans to open one new technical institute and two new training centres in 1987-88 bringing the total numbers to eight technical institutes and 16 training centres.
86 The transfer of Diploma and Certificate Courses from the Hong Kong Polytechnic to the technical institutes, which began in 1981, will continue in 1987-88. The objective is to transfer responsibility for the operation of most of the Diploma and Certificate courses to the technical institutes and thus to enable the polytechnics to concentrate a greater proportion of their work on Higher Diploma, Higher Certificate and degree levels. The courses to be transferred in 1987-88 will be the last batch of the agreed transfer.
87 The number of full-time students admitted by the Colleges of Education has been increased to meet the demand for non-graduate teachers. The training programme for assistant kindergarten teachers will be accelerated with the introduction of a 12-week part-time in-service course and the existing in-service course of training for teachers of children with special education needs will be re-structured.
88 The Government's policy is to provide 5 280 first year first degree places by the end of the triennium 1988–91, rising to 8 323 by the end of the triennium 1994–97 and to 8 800 by the end of the century. The two universities, the two polytechnics and the Baptist College will increase their number of full-time equivalent students from 31 900 in 1986-87 to 33 700 in 1987–88. In addition, about 4 200 Hong Kong students will follow first degree, Higher National Diploma or other courses in the United Kingdom.
89 Schemes of financial assistance for students at the post-secondary and tertiary level provide for grants and loans to students at the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, to post-advanced level students at the Baptist College and Lingnan College and for loans to students at Shue Yan College. In addition a scheme of assistance jointly financed by the United Kingdom and Hong Kong Governments provides grants for full time students on first degree and Higher National Diploma courses in the United Kingdom. The estimated gross expenditure on grants and loans in 1987–88 is $185.6 million compared with the revised estimate for 1986–87 of $185.3 million.
90 As stated in the 1977 White Paper, "Integrating the Disabled into the Community: A United Effort", Government intends:
"To provide such comprehensive rehabilitation services as are necessary to enable disabled persons to develop their physical, mental and social capabilities to the fullest extent which their disabilities permit."
the
91 When children enter primary school they are screened for possible speech defects, vision or hearing impairment, and for difficulties in learning and possible retardation. Children identified as needing further assessment or remedial treatment are referred to specialists in either the Medical and Health Department or the Education Department and are given the type of education most appropriate to their needs and capabilities. 92 For handicapped children studying in ordinary schools, a range of support services has been developed to meet the increasing demand for integration. These services include special classes, revised resource classes and visiting resource teachers for blind, hearing impaired and physically handicapped children, and for children with learning difficulties. The number of resource teaching centres for children with learning difficulties and adjustment units for children with behaviour problems will continue to be increased.
93 Aided special schools provide special education for blind, hearing impaired, physically handicapped, mentally handicapped, and maladjusted/socially deprived children as well as care by social workers and para-medical staff, and boarding care.
94 In 1987-88, the number of pupils receiving assessment and remedial services is forecast to be 36 816 compared with 35 348 in 1986-87.
95 In the area of vocational training for the disabled, the total provision of training places in government and subvented vocational training centres will be increased from 750 to about 770 in 1987-88. It is expected that the demand for vocational assessment will continue to be strong and facilities will be further developed to meet the demand. In addition to skills centres, disabled persons may also be accepted into technical institutes.
(E)(2) Medical
96 The share of total government expenditure allocated to medical services has also shown a steady increase throughout this decade and has risen from 7.4% in 1982-83 to an allocation of 9.6% in 1987-88. This largely reflects the construction and subsequent operation of major new facilities.
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