EDUCATION
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to as wide a spectrum of employment as possible. The technical areas covered include mechanical and electrical engineering, printing, textiles and clothing, commerce retail- ing and merchandising, and home economics. Excessive specialisation is not encouraged at this level, the aim being to introduce basic knowledge and skills and to help students choose a suitable career.
Prevocational schools also provide an introduction to craft apprenticeship. Considerable efforts are made to ensure that prevocational school leavers have the opportunity to enrol in recognised apprenticeship training schemes, and also to continue their studies in technical institutes. This form of technical training is fully supported by the Hong Kong Training Council and is being more and more accepted by industry.
A new 25-class prevocational school, situated in Kwai Chung and sponsored by the Hong Kong Cotton Spinners Association, was opened in September 1975. An- other 28-class school sponsored by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association and located in the densely populated Shek Kip Mei area is at an advanced stage of planning and is expected to go into operation in September 1976. By then the number of pre- vocational schools will have increased to eight, with a total student capacity of 5,840.
Post-secondary Education
There are a number of day and evening schools offering courses of varying standards at post-secondary levels. These schools do not receive aid from the gov- ernment and their courses are mainly conducted in Chinese.
The Hong Kong Baptist College, standing on a site granted by the government, was registered under the Post-secondary Colleges Ordinance in March 1970, thereby acquiring a status below that of a university institution, but above that of a secondary school. It has four faculties-arts, business, social sciences, and natural sciences and engineering—with an enrolment of about 3,300. There are altogether 15 departments offering 18 major fields and three course programmes. The college has some financial support from the government in the form of an interest-bearing loan, while students of the college may apply for government financed interest-free loans to assist with payment of tuition fees.
A college can be registered under the Post-secondary Colleges Ordinance only when the Director of Education is satisfied with its academic standards, governing body, constitution, finances, educational facilities, the number and qualifications of staff, and the number and conditions of admission of students. The Hong Kong Baptist College is the only institution at present registered under this ordinance. There are a number of other post-secondary-type institutions providing a wide range of courses many of a business or commercial nature.
Technical Institutes
The Morrison Hill Technical Institute, which was established in 1969, consists of five departments-commercial studies, construction, electrical engineering, me- chanical engineering, and preliminary and general studies.