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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986
+HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO CONSULT AND GATHER THE OPINION OF THE SILENT MAJORITY,+ SHE SAID. THESE PEOPLE HAD A RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR VIEWS CONSIDERED AND TO KNOW HOW TO USE VARIOUS CHANNELS TO PRESS HOME THEIR OPINIONS.
TURNING TO EDUCATION, MRS FAN SAID THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WAS CORRECT IN ITS AIM TO DESIGN THE SIXTH FORM AS A SELF-CONTAINED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD BE OF SPECIAL BENEFIT TO THOSE WHO DID NOT PROCEED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
SHE NOTED THAT DOUBTS HAD BEEN EXPRESSED ABOUT THE PRACTICABILITY OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSAL, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF MANY STUDENTS' ASPIRATIONS TO ENTER HIGHER EDUCATION.
HOWEVER, SHE QUESTIONED WHETHER A DEGREE COURSE WAS THE BEST OPTION FOR EVERY SIXTH-FORM STUDENT AT THAT POINT IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SHE CONSIDERED THERE WAS A CASE FOR MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ASSIST EVERY STUDENT TO LEARN ABOUT ALL POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES AND CHOOSE THE OPTION THAT WAS MOST SUITABLE.
STUDENTS NEEDED INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE TO ASSIST THEM TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND TO FEEL SATISFIED AND CONFIDENT ABOUT IT.
MRS FAN SUGGESTED THAT IN THIS RESPECT THREE INTER-RELATED SYSTEMS NOW BEING DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT.
USING THE LATEST INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THESE SYSTEMS WOULD GIVE STUDENTS ACCESS TO ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION.
+ IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THE RELEVANT INFORMATION IN A SYSTEMATIC MANNER IF THEY ARE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, BE IT POLITICS OR EDUCATION, SHE SAID.
MRS FAN ALSO DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
SHE SAID THAT PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLING THE 8 300 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WAS DISMAL UNLESS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER REOPENING ITS DOORS TO SOME OF THEM, AND THUS ENCOURAGE OTHER MAJOR RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO CONTINUE THEIR INTAKE.
+AFTER ALL, BRITAIN, BY ITS OWN ACCLAIM, HAS SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS HONG KONG, AND ITS LEADERS HAVE REPEATEDLY ASSURED HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT THEY WILL DISCHARGE THIS RESPONSIBILITY, SHE SAID.
/SHE UNDERSTOOD