THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1976
EXHIBITION AND SEMINAR ON YOUTH AND SOCIETY+ * ****
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR EXPANDING TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG IS TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PLACES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT IN JULY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR. LI FOOK-KOW, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE YUEN LONG MIDDLE SCHOOL'S EXHIBITION AND SEMINAR ON YOUTH AND SOCIETY+, HE EXPLAINED THAT EMPLOYERS IN ANY TRADE THAT WAS DESIGNATED UNDER THE ORDINANCE MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO ALLOW THEIR APPRENTICES TO ATTEND A PART-TIME COURSE AT THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE IN THE TRADE FOR WHICH THEY WERE APPRENTICED.
HE SAID THAT FROM SEPTEMBER 20 THIS YEAR, 23 TRADES HAD BEEN DESIGNATED UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE ON THE ADVICE OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL.
MR. LI ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPROVED PROSPECTS FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AND TO FIND WORTHWHILE JOBS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT NEXT YEAR THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PUBLISH A GREEN PAPER THAT WOULD TAKE A FRESH LOOK ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING AT ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION BEYOND THE BASIC THREE YEARS JUNIOR SECONDARY COURSE+.
ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION, HE ADDED THAT WHEN THE FIFTH TECHNICAL INSTITUTE IN KOWLOON TONG WAS OPENED IN 1979, THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 6,650 FULL-TIME AND EQUIVALENT PART-TIME DAY PLACES IN ALL THE FIVE INSTITUTES. THEY WOULD ALSO PROVIDE PLACES FOR 20,000 EVENING STUDENTS, HE INDICATED.
ON HIGHER EDUCATION, MR. LI SAID THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PLACES AT THE TWO UNIVERSITIES FROM THE PRESENT 8,500 TO MORE THAN 10,300 BY OCTOBER 1980.
+THE POLYTECHNIC WILL ALSO INCREASE ITS FULL-TIME AND EQUIVALENT PART-TIME PLACES FROM 7,300 AT PRESENT TO 11,400 BY OCTOBER 1980, HE SAID. + IN THAT YEAR THERE WILL BE MORE THAN 30,000 STUDENTS ATTENDING THE POLYTECHNIC ON A FULL OR PART-TIME COURSE.+
HE CONTINUED: +WHAT THESE FIGURES MEAN IS THAT THERE ARE ALREADY FAR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE PAST FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONTINUE THE IR EDUCATION AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL, AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AS THE GROWTH IN PLACES RISES FASTER THAN THE INCREASE IN THE POPULATION. +
HOWEVER, MR. LI SAID THAT THE GROWTH IN TERTIARY EDUCATION SHOULD BE KEPT IN BALANCE WITH THE ABILITY OF OUR ECONOMY TO ABSORB QUALIFIED PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS INTO APPROPRIATE WORK THAT WOULD OFFER THEM A SATISFYING CAREER.
/IF EXPANSION