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THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1978
HE DOUBTED THE GREEN PAPER'S CLAIM THAT MUSIC IS WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHEN MOST TEACHERS IN THE SUBJECT ARE UNQUAL IF IED AND MOST SCHOOLS POORLY EQUIPPED.
HE ONLY REFERRED TO MUSIC BECAUSE THE REFERENCES TO MUSIC TEACHING IN THE GREEN PAPER EXEMPLIFY ITS FAILURE TO TREAT EDUCATION AS A COMPLETE CULTIVATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
MR. FRANCIS TIEN BALANCED PROGRAMME OF EDUCATION VITAL
THE HON, FRANCIS TIEN, WHO WAS INDISPOSED AND WHOSE COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPER WERE PRESENTED ON HIS BEHALF BY THE HON. ALEX WU, WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DECREASING SUPPORT FOR TECHNICAL COURSES AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR INDUSTRY.
HE SAID WITH THE INCREASE IN SUBSIDISED PLACES IN FORMS IV-V AND THE DROP IN THE SIZE OF THE 15 YEAR-OLD POPULATION, IN 1986 SOME 63 PER CENT OF FORM III LEAVERS WILL HAVE SUBSIDISED PLACES.
THE REMAINING 37 PER CENT, OR 27,700 YOUNG PERSONS WILL ENTER EMPLOYMENT ONLY IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO, BUT MORE LIKELY THEY WOULD CONTINUE FULL-TIME EDUCATION TO FORMS IV AND V AND BEYOND.
IF THE NUMBER OF FORM V PLACES IN PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS REMAINS AT THE CURRENT LEVEL, THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT PLACES FOR ALMOST ALL FORM 111 LEAVERS.
MR. TIEN FORESAW, IN THE SHORT TERM, A DISRUPTION OF THE MANPOWER SUPPLY TO INDUSTRY AT THE OPERATIVE AND CRAFT LEVELS, AND IN THE LONG TERM, WITH ALL YOUNG PERSONS TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLÉTE FORMS IV-V, VERY FEW OF THEM WILLING TO TAKE UP SUCH JOBS.
HE STRONGLY. URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION, WHICH HAS A CLOSER LINK WITH APPRENTICESHIP AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND IS HIGHLY REGARDED BY EMPLOYERS,
THE ANNUAL INTAKE WOULD HAVE TO BE EXPANDED FROM THE PRESENT 3,000 TO ABOUT 10,000 A YEAR, AS ESTIMATED BY THE COMMITTEE ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF THE TRAINING COUNCIL.
MR. TIEN AGREED WITH THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSAL THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO CONTINUE THEIR POST-FORM III EDUCATION ON A PART-TIME BASIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EMPLOYMENT. HE WELCOMED THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FIRST-YEAR POST FORM 1 PLACES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES.
HE ALSO WANTED ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDED TO CATER FOR THOSE FORM 111 LEAVERS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THEIR GENERAL EDUCATION.
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