MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1984
FIRM BASIS FOR HK TO DEVELOP OWN EDUCATION SYSTEM
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THE SINO-BRITISH DRAFT AGREEMENT PROVIDED A SOUND AND FIRM BASIS FOR HONG KONG TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TAILORED TO THE TERRITORY'S OWN NEEDS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG TODAY (MONDAY).
+ IT WILL ENSURE THAT WE WILL HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND SKILL REQUIRED TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE ITS POSITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND TRADING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG OPERATES,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
FOR THOSE WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, HE REITERATED THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT HAD SPELT OUT, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERM, THAT THE ESSENTIALS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUE.
+ IT WILL OPERATE SEPARATELY AND DIFFERENTLY FROM THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF CHINA. CONTINUITY WILL BE MAINTAINED IN THE APPLICATION OF OUR PRESENT EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS, AND IN THE USE OF TEACHING MATERIALS FROM OVERSEAS. THE FREEDOM TO PURSUE EDUCATION OUTSIDE HONG KONG WILL BE PRESERVED, HE EXPLAINED.
SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE CREATIVITY, INTELLIGENCE AND ADAPTABILITY OF ITS PEOPLE CONSTITUTED HONG KONG'S GREATEST NATURAL ASSETS.
+THESE ATTRIBUTES NEED TO BE STIMULATED AND FOSTERED BY EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES WHICH BROADEN THE HORIZON OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND STRETCH THEIR IMAGINATION.
+ IN CONSEQUENCE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, ITS QUALITY AND DIRECTION, ARE MATTERS OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO OUR FUTURE.
+ IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN OUR POSITION IN THIS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WORLD, WE MUST PRODUCE PROFESSIONALS, TECHNOLOGISTS, MANAGERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE NOT ONLY ABLE BUT HIGHLY TRAINED, SIR EDWARD SAID.
HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE CITY POLYTECHNIC WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS OBJECTIVE.
THE NEW PREMISES IN THE ARGYLE CENTRE WILL PROVIDE PLACES FOR 2 500 FULL-TIME STUDENTS AND A SIMILAR NUMBER OF PART-TIME STUDENTS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
WHEN THE PERMANENT CAMPUS IN KOWLOON TONG IS READY FOR OCCUPATION IN OCTOBER 1988, IT WILL HAVE AN INITIAL CAPACITY OF 8 000 FULL-TIME-EQUIVALENT STUDENTS WITH A POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION TO ACCOMMODATE A FURTHER 5 500 FULL-TIME-EQUIVALENT STUDENTS.
/SIR ADWARD