331
Written Answers
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in future years if the present trend of local young people graduating overseas continues. Furthermore, Hong Kong's own tertiary institutions are rapidly expanding their output of new graduates. The figures are:
Number
1986
2,800
1987
3,000
1988
3,600
1989
4,300
1990
5,000
It is estimated that by 1996 Hong Kong will be producing over 17,000 new first degree graduates per year.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Geography
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list and give the reasons for his alterations to the recommendations of the geography working group and the National Curriculum Council's consultation report on geography.
Mr. Eggar: My right hon. and learned Friend published a draft statutory order for geography on 14 January together with draft attainment targets and programmes of study. At that time he published a statement giving his reasons for making changes to the documents, as he was required to do by the Education Reform Act. Copies of the drafts and the statement of reasons were placed in the Library. I shall send a copy of the texts to my hon. Friend.
Chief Inspector of Schools
Mr. Dunn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider candidates for appointment to the post of chief inspector of schools from outside Her Majesty's inspectorate.
Mr. Eggar: The new senior chief inspector will be appointed after an open competition organised by the Civil Service Commission. External and internal can- didates have already applied, and the post will shortly be readvertised to increase the field from which the appointment can be made.
Teacher Training Institutions
Mr. Dunn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to reform teacher training institutions to take account of the Education Reform Act 1988.
Mr. Fallon: The Secretary of State already requires teacher training institutions to take account of the Act. The revised course approval criteria, which have been in effect since January 1990, reflect the changing needs of schools, including the demands of the national curriculum. The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education advises the Secretary of State on whether courses satisfy the criteria. It is keeping the criteria under review and will be offering my right hon. and learned Friend their advice on possible changes to them later this year.
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Schools Inspectorate
Mr. Dunn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for the reorganisation of Her Majesty's inspectorate of the Education Reform Act 1988.
Mr. Eggar: The senior chief inspector regularly undertakes reviews of all aspects of the organisation of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools, within the arrangements applying to the DES as a whole. Such reviews take account of major changes and developments in the education system, for example, the Education Reform Act 1988 and along with the rest of the Department's arrangements are subject to the Secretary of State's oversight and agreements.
Higher Education
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much it cost to run the higher education section of Her Majesty's inspectorate in the last financial year; what the projected outturn is for the current year; and what the planned expenditure is for 1992.
Mr. Alan Howarth: All Her Majesty's inspectorate undertake a range of duties. In 1989-90, the manpower devoted to higher education inspection and reporting was the equivalent of 40 Her Majesty's inspectorate. The inspectorate's total budget in 1989-90 was £25 million and on a pro-rata basis, the cost of higher education inspection was £2.1 million.
The expected outturn for the current financial year is £2.3 million and for 1991-92 is £2·5 million.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of reports on higher educational institutions and courses completed by Her Majesty's inspectorate categorised by length of time between inspection and publication; and if he will state the average time taken between inspection and publication for Her Majesty's inspectorate reports on higher education.
Mr. Alan Howarth: In 1990 Her Majesty's inspectorate published reports on 105 higher education institutions and 13 higher education surveys. The length of time taken between inspection and the publication of these reports is as shown:
Months
Reports
2
3
4
15
14
5
31
20
17
2
8
10
The average time taken between inspection and publication is five months.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what consultations he has recently undertaken with regard to the future structure and funding of higher education and the future system of student support;
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