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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1974
HE NOTED THAT A NUMBER OF VACANCIES FOR ACCOUNTANTS IN THE COST CONTROL UNIT OF THE FINANCE BRANCH HAD REMA I NED UNFILLED FOR SOME TIME DUE TO RECRUITMENT PROBLEMS. +UNDER- STRENGTH AT THIS LEVEL MUST, TO AN IMPORTANT AND EXTENT, INHIBIT THE MANY COST CONTROL EXERCISES THAT NEED TO BE DONE, HE SAID, AND HE URGED
UNSATISFACTORY
THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO FILL THE VACANCIES.
IN GENERAL, MR. LEE SUPPORTED THE WHITE PAPER ON EDUCATION.
HE SINGLED OUT THE PARTICULAR ASPECT OF LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION' AND AGREED THAT IT WAS DETTER LEFT TO INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES TO DECIDE WHETHER THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE IN ENGLISH OR CHINESE FOR ANY PARTICULAR SUBJECT IN JUNIOR SECONDARY FORMS.
THE CHOICE OF LANGUAGE AS A TEACHING MEDIUM, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, HE SAID, HAD SUCH FAR-REACHING EFFECTS THAT A DECISION IN RESPECT OF IT MUST EE TAKEN IN THE OVERALL INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS CONCERNED, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THEY GO FURTHER IN THEIR STUDIES OR NOT.
IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, HE POINTED OUT, THE INABILITY TO SPEAK AND READ AND WRTE ENGLISH COULD BE A DISADVANTAGE, +WE MUST ALSO FACE THE REALITY OF LIFE THAT. GIVEN TWO CANDIDATES OF APPROXIMATELY SIMILAR QUALIFICATION AND ABILITY, THE ONE WITH THE BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH WILL HAVE A DEFINITE ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER.+
THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL MEANT THAT SCHOOLS. PARENTS AND STUDENTS WOULD DE FREE TO CHOOSE THE LANGUAGE OF ÎNTRUCTION PREFERRED, AS IT SHOULD BE, HE SAID.
MR. LEE ALSO WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF WELL-ESTABLISHED TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. HE NOTED THAT PLANS HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED FOR THIS, BUT HE WONDERED WHETHER DUE CONSIDERATION HAD BEEN GIVEN TO REACTIVATE OR ACCELERATE WITH THE PLANS.
+CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE SPEEDIER AND LESS COSTLY TO HAVE A 'GREATER TAIPO' OR 'GREATER YUEN LONG BECAUSE THE INFRA- STRUCTURE IS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE,+_HE SAID.
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