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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977
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SUCH FORECASTS, HE ADDED, COULD BE FURTHER REFINED BY BEING COMPARED AGAINST NOT MERELY PAST EMPLOYMENT TRENDS BUT ALSO THE PLANNED GROWTH RATES OF THE REAL PRODUCTS FOR THE MAJOR INDUSTRIES.
+MANPOWER PLANNING,+ MR. CHEN CONTINUED, +CANNOT BE DIVORCED FROM EDUCATION PLANNING, WHETHER TECHNICAL OR GENERAL. THE FORMER MUST REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE LATTER MUST BE THE OUTCOME OF AND BASED ON THE FORMER,+
HE FORESAW THAT THE PROVISION OF THREE YEARS SUBSIDIZED SECONDARY EDUCATION BY 1980 WOULD HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE FUTURE MANPOWER SITUATION.
+BY THEN THERE WILL ALSO BE SUBSIDIZED PLACES IN FORMS 4 AND 5 FOR 40 PER CENT OF THE FORM 3 LEAVERS,+ HE SAID.
THEREFORE, HE SAID, FROM 1980 ONWARDS THE BULK OF THE 60 PER CENT OF THOSE FORM 3 LEAVERS WHO DO NOT PROCEED TO FURTHER SUBSIDIZED EDUCATION WOULD THEORETICALLY ENTER EMPLOYMENT.
BUT WHAT IS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IS THAT MOST OF THE PARENTS, WITH SAVINGS FROM THE EXTRA THREE YEARS SUBSIDIZED EDUCATION, WOULD DO EVERYTHING TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH FORMS 4 AND 5 IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THE LONG TERM EFFECT WOULD BE THAT MOST YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD NOT START WORK UNTIL THEY REACH 17 OR OVER, AND MANY, AFTER COMPLETING SECONDARY EDUCATION, WOULD AIM AT WHITE-COLLAR JOBS AND BE RELUCTANT TO ENTER INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT, THE SHORT TERM EFFECT WOULD BE THAT HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY WOULD BE STARVED OF FRESH MANPOWER FOR TWO YEARS, HE SAID.
HE WARNED THAT HONG KONG WOULD HAVE A SITUATION WHERE INDUSTRY WOULD BE COMPETING WITH PRIVATE EDUCATION FOR FORM 3 LEAVERS AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES WOULD HAVE TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS.
HE URGED INDUSTRY TO PREPARE FOR THIS EVENTUALITY BY OFFERING ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES, SUCH AS FURTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKING INDUSTRIAL WORK MORE INTERESTING AND SATISFYING.
+WHEN TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLED MANPOWER AT ALL LEVELS, TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING MUST BE CONSIDERED AND PLANNED AS AN INTEGRAL WHOLE AND NOT ISOLATION ONE FROM ANOTHER, MR, CHEN CONTINUED.
HE SAID THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION WAS NOT SATISFACTORY AND THAT THE TWO IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT MERE OUT OF BALANCE AS SEEN FROM THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION FAR CUT-PROPORTIONING THAT FOR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
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