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FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1979
MORE TEACHERS NEEDED TO MEET DEMAND FOR CRAFTSMEN
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THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE MUST BE RAPIDLY EXPANDED TO COPE WITH THE DEMAND FOR CRAFTSMEN, MR. CHAN SHU-ON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
ADDRESSING THE GATHERING AT THE FOURTH SPEECH DAY OF THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE, MR. CHAN ESTIMATED THAT HONG KONG REQUIRED AN ANNUAL SUPPLY OF SOME 8,000 CRAFTSMEN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SOCIETY.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE JUST OVER 1,000 GRADUATES FROM THE VARIOUS TECHNICAL INSTITUTES EACH YEAR, MR. CHAN SAID, ADDING THAT THIS OUTPUT WOULD BE INCREASED TO 6,360 IN 1982 ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT PLANS.
+IT CAN BE SEEN THAT ALTHOUGH PRESENT OUTPUT OF GRADUATE CRAFTSMEN FALLS FAR SHORT OF ACTUAL DEMAND, YET AN AMBITIOUS PLAN HAS BEEN LAID TO INCREASE THE OUTPUT SEVERAL FOLD, AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE BE EXPANDED IN ALL DIRECTIONS AT AN ACCELERATED PACE TO COPE WITH NEW DEMANDS,+ HE SAID.
SPEAKING ON THE QUALITY OF THE CRAFTSMAN, MR. CHAN FELT THAT ANY CRAFTSMAN WORTHY OF HIS PROFESSION MUST UPHOLD A HIGH STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP.
+HE MUST DISCIPLINE HIMSELF TO WORK FOR PERFECTION, WHICH CAN NEVER BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT CONSTANT PRACTICE, HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, MR. P.R. SMITH, THE PRINCIPAL OF THE COLLEGE, IN PRESENTING HIS REPORT FOR 1977-78 SAID HIS STAFF WERE BUSY REDESIGNING THE COURSE OFFERED BY THE COLLEGE TO FIT IN WITH THE PLAN IN THE EDUCATION WHITE PAPER TO EXPAND THE TEACHER TRAINING PROVISION FROM TWO TO THREE YEARS BY 1980.
DURING THE YEAR 14 SHORT COURSES WERE ALSO ORGANISED FOR IN-SERVICE TEACHERS, HE SAID.
HE SAID. THE NATURE OF THESE COURSES RANGED FROM BEATEN METAL WORK TO A SEMINAR ON +MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION TODAY+.
THE SEMINAR IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES WHICH THE COLLEGE IS OFFERING ON A ROTATIONAL BASIS TO HELP TEACHERS DEVELOP INTO GOOD MANAGERS OF THE IR DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR SCHOOLS.
A SERIES OF SATURDAY MORNING COURSES WERE ALSO OFFERED DURING THE YEAR FOR WORKSHOP ASSISTANTS AND ATTENDANTS COVERING TOPICS SUCH AS THE USE OF THE METRIC WEIGHING SYSTEM, THE CARE AND SHARPENING OF TOOLS, AND SAFETY WITHIN WORKSHOPS.
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