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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1985
+ THE EXPANSION OF THE FINANCIAL AND RELATED BUSINESS SERVICE SECTOR HAS INCREASED THE DEMAND FOR PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS LAWYERS AND ACCOUNTANTS AND THE DEMAND FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
+ WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO OUR POLICY ON HIGHER EDUCATION, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE LONG-TERM TARGETS WERE BEING MET AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE MANPOWER NEEDS WOULD NOT BE FRUSTRATED BY ANY LACK OF EDUCATED TRAINED PERSONNEL.
+WE SHALL ENSURE THAT THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE WILL MEET STUDENTS' REASONABLE ASPIRATIONS. WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING REPRESENTS A SOUND INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE AND IS ONE OF THE BEST LONG-TERM CONTRIBUTIONS THE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE BOTH TO THE ECONOMY OF HONG KONG AND THE LIVING STANDARDS OF ITS PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.
EARLIER, MR JACOBS NOTED THAT THE HONG KONG ECONOMY HAD ACHIEVED A HIGH RATE OF GROWTH IN THE PAST 10 YEARS AND A MAJOR FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS GROWTH HAD BEEN THE VERSATILITY AND SKILL OF HONG KONG'S LABOUR FORCE.
+SKILLS CAN BE ACQUIRED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.
+ IT IS THUS IMPORTANT FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BE REVIEWED CONSTANTLY SO THAT THEY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ECONOMY AND SUIT OUR CHANGING SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID.
THAT CHANGING SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID, WAS LINKED TO OUR ECONOMY WHICH IN ITS TURN HAD CONTINUED TO DIVERSIFY.
+TO MAINTAIN OUR EXPORT PERFORMANCE WE HAVE HAD TO MOVE UP-MARKET AND INTO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES, AS WELL AS GOODS.
+THIS TREND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE IN THE YEARS AHEAD, AND TO SUSTAIN IT WE MUST BE SURE THAT OUR LABOUR FORCE HAS THE REQUISITE LEVEL OF SKILLS, AND ABILITY TO ABSORB AND TO USE TECHNOLOGY.
+WE CANNOT STAND STILL, CONSEQUENTLY, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHALL SEE AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, HE SAID.
MR JACOBS SAID THE COMMUNITY HAD ALWAYS PLACED GREAT VALUE ON EDUCATION AND +DESPITE THE BUDGET DEFICIT OF THE PAST FEW YEARS, GOVERNMENT HAS NOT SOUGHT TO INHIBIT EXPANSION IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR.+
THIS YEAR, 17 PER CENT OF TOTAL PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IS BEING DEVOTED TO EDUCATION MORE THAN THE AMOUNT SPENT ON ANY OTHER SINGLE AREA OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY -- AND EXPENDITURE ON HIGHER EDUCATION ACCOUNTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION.
/THE GOVERNMENT