9
-
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977
THE REPORT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE SUBJECT OF SELECTION AND ALLOCATION FOR POST-FORM 3 EDUCATION IS A CONTROVERSIAL ONE, AND THAT THE WORK ING PARTY DID NOT REACH AGREEMENT ON ALL THE MATTERS DISCUSSED. THE QUESTIONS WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE SELECTION AT ALL, AND IF SO, WHETHER A PROVISION RATE OF 40% IS ADEQUATE, ARE ONES ON WHICH THERE WERE CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
A NUMBER OF MEMBERS PUT FORWARD ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE 1974 WHITE PAPER. AMONG THESE PROPOSALS ARE:
* TEN YEARS OF SUBSIDISED EDUCATION FOR ALL WHO WANT IT,
INVOLVING NO SELECTION=
* FIVE YEARS OF ASSISTED SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL WHO WANT
IT BY UTILISING BOUGHT PLACES IN PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, ALSO INVOLVING NO SELECTION- AND
* INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF FULLY-SUBSIDISED FORMS 4-5
PLACES TO AN ACCEPTABLE FIGURE AND PROVIDING MORE ATTRACTIVE FORMS OF CAREER-ORIENTATED EDUCATION FOR OTHER FORM 3 LEAVERS, WHICH IMPLIES THAT SELECTION AT THE END OF FORM 3 IS NECESSARY AND DESIRABLE.
THE WORKING PARTY POINTS OUT THAT THE MEMBERS WHO MADE THESE PROPOSALS HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE AN INFORMED PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE QUESTION OF PROVISION FOLLOWING THE ISSUE OF THE REPORT AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE THE IR PROPOSALS CAREFUL CONS IDERATION WHEN THE WHITE PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION IS DRAFTED.
THE 26-MEMBER WORKING PARTY, CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. COLVYN HAYE, CONSISTED OF HEADS AND TEACHERS OF SCHOOLS OF ALL KINDS AND OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT PRIMARY 6 PUPILS TAKING THE ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST IN DECEMBER THIS YEAR WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION BY APRIL 1978 AS ANY SELECTION AND ALLOCATION PROCEDURE FOR POST-FORM 3 EDUCATION TO BE ADOPTED MIGHT HAVE A BEARING ON THE IR CHOICE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
MR. TOPLEY WILL BE PLEASED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE GREEN PAPER AND THE WORKING PARTY'S REPORT AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT 11 A.M. TOMORROW (THURSDAY) IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, LEE GARDENS, 3RD FLOOR, HYSAN AVENUE, HONG KONG.
YOU ARE INVITED TO HAVE THE PRESS CONFERENCE COVERED.
PRESS AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES ARE ADVISED TO BRING WITH THEM COPIES OF THE GREEN PAPER AND THE WORK ING PARTY'S REPORT DISTRIBUTED TODAY BY THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES. SINCE THERE IS A LIMITED SUPPLY OF THE TWO DOCUMENTS, EXTRA COPIES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
/10
Page 10Page 11