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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1978
SHE PERSONALLY ACCEPTED THE 50 PER CENT TARGET OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED PLACES IN VIEW OF THE OTHER PLACES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE NUMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING AT THE AGE OF 15 AND OVER.
ALTHOUGH MORE STUDENTS ARE NOW TAKING THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION, THEIR OVERALL STANDARD HAS DROPPED. TO ENCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS TO STUDY IN AN ACADEMIC SYSTEM FOR FORMS IV AND V WOULD HARM THEIR FUTURE POTENTIAL.
MISS BENNETT WANTED THE STANDARD OF ENTRY INTO THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND THE STAFFING OF THE COLLEGES TO BE IMPROVED.
IF THE ENTRANTS HAVE HAD A TWO-YEAR SIXTH FORM EDUCATION, SHE EXPLAINED, THEY WOULD ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED THE BASIC CONTENT OF WHAT THEY PLANNED TO TEACH SO THE COLLEGES COULD CONCENTRATE ON HOW TO TEACH.
THOSE LECTURERS IN SUBJECTS WHERE HONG KONG CANNOT PROVIDE DEGREE COURSES SHOULD BE SENT OVERSEAS FOR FURTHER STUDIES. THE QUALIFICATIONS AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED OF STAFF LECTURING IN THE MAJOR SUBJECTS WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE DRASTICALLY UPGRADED.
ON POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES, MISS BENNETT SAID THEY ARE CLEARLY MAKING A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A PROPER STATUS.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT THEIR FOUR-YEAR DIPLOMA COURSES EE BROUGHT MORE FULLY, INTO THE SUBSIDISED PUBLIC SYSTEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE A FURTHER PRIVATELY-RUN FIFTH YEAR FOR THOSE DESIRING A DEGREE.
SHE THOUGHT HONG KONG WOULD NEED TO ESTABLISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT AN ORGANISATION COMPARABLE TO THE COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS IN BRITAIN FOR CONFERRING DEGREES.
TWO YEARS COMPLETED AT THE SIXTH FORM, THE POST SECONDARY COLLEGES, TECHNICAL INSTITUTES OR THE POLYTECHNIC SHOULD BE ACCREDITED FOR ENTRY INTO OTHER RELEVANT TERTIARY INSTITUTES.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE LENGTH OF THE UNDERGRADUATE COURSE AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY BE LEFT AS IT IS FOR THE TIME BEING.
HONG KONG COULD BE FLEXIBLE SO THAT AS IN ENGLAND, STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE WHETHER TO GO FOR A THREE-YEAR OR A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY COURSE, SHE SAID.
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