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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1976
JORDAN STRESSES NEED FOR HIGHER TECHNOLOGY
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THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, SAID TODAY THAT HE WAS VERY GLAD THAT THE OLD EMPHASIS ON PURELY ACADEMIC SECONDARY EDUCATION WAS FADING.
HE WAS GLAD BECAUSE HONG KONG DEPENDED ON ITS MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, AND INDUSTRY MUST CONTINUE TO MOVE UP THE TECHNOLOGICAL SCALE, HE SAID.
MR. JORDAN WAS SPEAKING TO GRADUATES OF THE NING PO COLLEGE.
MR. JORDAN SAID THAT INDUSTRY WOULD INCREASINGLY NEED MORE HIGHLY TRAINED AND HIGHLY SKILLED TECHNICIANS, TECHNOLOGISTS AND MANAGERS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT TECHNICAL EDUCATION WAS EXPANDING VERY RAPIDLY IN HONG KONG, WITH ITS TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND ITS FAST GROWING POLYTECHNIC.
+SO THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROPER TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ARE GROWING RAPIDLY. THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CONTINUE WITH FURTHER FULL-TIME EDUCATION AND, THROUGH A GREAT VARIETY OF PART-TIME AND EVENING COURSES FOR THOSE WHO GO STRAIGHT FROM SCHOOL INTO EMPLOYMENT, HE SAID.
MR. JORDAN ADDED : +IN OUR UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC WE HAVE NOW SCHEMES FOR MAKING GRANTS AND LOANS TO STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT NO STUDENT WHO QUALIFIES FOR A PLACE IS PREVENTED FROM TAKING IT BECAUSE HE OR HIS FAMILY CANNOT AFFORD IT. +SO THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE. THE TRAINING THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED HERE AT NING PO COLLEGE HAS GIVEN YOU A GOOD START.+
MR. JORDAN WENT ON: +WE IN THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO DO ITS BEST TO ENSURE THAT THE MARKETS OF THE WORLD REMAIN OPEN TO US. IT IS UP TO YOU TO FILL THEM,+
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