EDUCATION
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to meet the practical needs of pupils, leading to direct entry into employment or to further technical or vocational training.
Special Classes Centre. This provides instruction in English for pupils who have passed the Hong Kong Chinese School Certificate and who wish to enter the University of Hong Kong. 74 students are now enrolled.
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
The Technical College provides courses for technicians, tech- nologists and for those entering for professional examinations. There are 55 full-time lecturers and 344 part-time lecturers on the staff, and 774 full-time or part-time 'day-release' students and 6,401 evening students. Departments of the College include Build- ing, Electrical Engineering with Telecommunications, Mechanical and Production Engineering, Textiles, Navigation and Commerce. English is used for instruction and the required standard for admission is a School Certificate. A Diploma is normally awarded at the end of a three years' course. The College also prepares students for various professional examinations.
There are a large classroom and laboratory block, extensive workshops and an auditorium and students' canteen. Buildings added during the year include the China Light and Power Com- pany's Electrical Machine Laboratory, the Mollers Heat Engines Laboratory, and a pilot dyeing and finishing plant. New courses opened include diploma courses in Mechanical and Production Engineering, technicians' courses in dyeing and finishing for the textile industry, and a course for Dental Mechanics. A three years' Ordinary Certificate course of Commercial Education was started, based on requirements for the London Chamber of Commerce.
The Evening Department offers similar courses, of one, two, three and five years' duration according to their subjects. They are mostly 'grouped' courses, in which students study a number of related subjects; courses in single subjects are exceptional. Three years' preliminary courses are available in general subjects for apprentices and artisans whose general education will not allow their admission to the certificate courses. There are also a few courses taught in Cantonese. Preliminary courses were held this year for the first time in the Tsuen Wan area. Students take the