29
primary
education for all. In the 1970's
expectations
was
increased; and in 1979 free, compulsory education
extended to include secondary forms one to three.
52.
their
the
children
The ambition of ordinary families today is that
should do well enough in examinations to be
able to go on to some kind of post-secondary education. At
same time, the development of our economy means that we
need an
increasing number of young people trained beyond
secondary school level. It is clear that we are not at
present able to meet the full extent of this demand. As
many Hong Kong students now go abroad for tertiary
education as stay in Hong Kong. Another factor is
emigration.
We must now plan on the assumption that we will
lose a proportion of our future graduates abroad.
53.
The
substantially
the
Government therefore proposes to upgrade
targets that we set ourselves only last
year. These would have meant that in the year 1995, for
example, there would be first-year, first-degree places for
nearly 13% of the relevant age group, compared with about
TILLY WAS A BISLUUN target. But it 10 Mow clcar
that we must be even
University
and
more
Polytechnic
ambitious. I have asked the
Grants Committee (UPGC) to
22
D
Σε
/increase
S'I'9 BT:LT TT-01-686T