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THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1981
DR KARL ROELOFFS, FORMER HEAD OF THE PLANNING DIVISION OF THE FEDERAL GERMAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE OECD EDUCATION COMMITTEE, NOW SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE=
PROFESSOR MICHAEL W. KIRST. PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MR TOPLEY SAID THE VISITORS, ALTHOUGH INDEPENDENT OF THE OECD, WILL FOLLOW THE WELL-ESTABLISHED PRACTICES OF THE ORGANISATION
IN EXAMINING THE EDUCATION SYSTEMS OF ITS MEMBER COUNTRIES.
SUCH REVIEWS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT IN MANY ADVANCED COUNTRIES, WHICH HAVE WELCOMED INDEPENDENT VIEWS ON THE IR EDUCATION SYSTEMS.
THE VISITORS TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE
+HAVING REGARD TO APPROVED AND PROPOSED POLICIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG AT ALL LEVELS, TO IDENTIFY THE FUTURE AIMS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, TO CONSIDER THE COHERENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SERVICE, TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHICH MAY REQUIRE STRENGTHENING AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PRIORITIES IN ITS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. IN PARTICULAR ADVICE IS SOUGHT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VARIOUS SECTORS AND LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND THE PLACE OF TEACHERS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. +
THE
THE REVIEW WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. TIME-TABLE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT THE WHITE PAPER ON PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY EDUCATION IS EXPECTED TO BE PUBLISHED THIS SUMMER WHILE THE CURRENT REVIEW OF POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WILL BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR, THEREBY ALLOWING FOR BOTH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE VISITORS' CONSIDERATIONS.
AN INVITATION WILL SHORTLY BE EXTENDED TO INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO PRESENT THE IR VIEWS ON ANY ASPECT OF HONG KONG EDUCATION FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE VISITORS.
AS PART OF THE REVIEW, THE PANEL WILL SPEND ABOUT 14 DAYS IN HONG KONG IN LATE OCTOBER AND EARLY NOVEMBER, IN ORDER TO MEET AND SEEK THE VIEWS OF STUDENT GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS, PARENTS, ACADEMIC ASSOCIATIONS, TEACHERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION.
THE PANEL WILL BE ASSISTED BY SPECIAL ADVISERS REPRESENTING THE TWO MAIN ADVISORY BODIES IN EDUCATION. MR Q.W. LEE HAS HIMSELF BEEN APPOINTED AS THE ADVISER REPRESENTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE WILL BE REPRESENTED BY ONE OF ITS OVERSEAS MEMBERS, MR JAMES MCHUGH, MR TOPLEY EXPLAINED THAT THIS ARRANGEMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE PANEL HAD READY ACCESS TO INFORMED VIEWS ON HONG KONG EDUCATION FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN OFFICIAL ONES. THIS WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF AN OPEN FORUM, WHICH THE REVIEW WAS DESIGNED TO BE.
THE VISITORS WILL PROVIDE A LIST OF QUESTIONS EARLY NEXT YEAR TO BE DISCUSSED WITH HONG KONG CFFICIALS AT A SERIES OF FINAL REVIEW MEETINGS IN HONG KONG WHICH WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE NEXT APRIL.
THE FINAL