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EDUCATION
THE MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
The Morrison Hill Technical Institute, established in 1969, consists of six departments: business studies, construction, electrical engineer- ing, mechanical engineering, preliminary and general studies, and technical teacher and workshop instructor training. It runs courses on a full-time, block-release, part-time day-release and part-time evening basis. Short courses in specialised technical/commercial sub- jects are also provided. Entry requirements for each course vary greatly, ranging from a general educational background of Primary 6 level to Form V. During the 1970-1 session, student enrolment for a total of 85 courses exceeded 10,600. Of these, 82 per cent attended courses with entry requirements below Form V level, and 18 per cent with entry requirements of at least the completion of Form V standard or equivalent. Some 500 teachers were employed during the session, about 400 of whom were part-time lecturers.
The institute maintains close links with industry, commerce, and the apprenticeship training unit of the Labour Department to gauge local manpower requirements and plan courses directly relevant to community needs. Sponsorship of students by industrial employers is a special feature. In the preceding session, 635 registered appren- tices attended part-time day-release courses at both craft and techni- cian levels, while some firms sponsored students for block-release or full-time basic craft courses. The institute also plays an important role in providing technical teacher training, which gives qualified status. The department of technical teacher and workshop instructor training offers both a one-year as well as a two-year full-time training course. It also provides training for in-service technical teachers, as well as training for workshop instructors on a part- time day and a part-time evening basis. Short courses in printing instructor training and elementary printing technology were also offered during the session.
As a large number of students were on a part-time evening basis, the Technical Institute made use of 15 external evening centres on both sides of the harbour to provide part-time evening courses for over 7,000 students. In November 1971 the Government approved in principle the financial implications of providing two additional technical institutes.
PRE-VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS
Plans have been approved for a total of approximately 6,000 subsidised places for primary school leavers in a number of three- year pre-vocational schools.