7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1988
MR CHEONG SAID THE SUGGESTION THAT TO ADOPT
A FOUR-YEAR POST
FORM 6 DEGREE STRUCTURE WOULD BRING HONG KONG INTO LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE WAS A SERIOUS OVER-SIMPLIFICATION.
HE SAID FURTHER THAT, UNDER PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS, THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WAS IN AN ANOMALOUS POSITION IN THAT IT RECRUITED STUDENTS ONE YEAR EARLIER THAN OTHER INSTITUTIONS, AND THE LENGTH OF ITS DEGREE COURSES WAS FOUR YEARS.
AS THIS ARRANGEMENT CATERED ONLY FOR THE NEED OF STUDENTS OF CHINESE MIDDLE SCHOOLS WHO CONSTITUTED A MINORITY OF THE CU INTAKES, THE ANOMALY SHOULD BE RECTIFIED, HE ADDED.
AS FOR THE CASE PUT FORWARD BY HKU FOR MOVING TO A 6+4 STRUCTURE, BASED ON ALLEGED DEFICIENCIES IN FORM
MR 7 CANDIDATES ·
SCRUTINY, CHEONG ARGUED THAT IT WAS NOT A CASE THAT STOOD UP TO CLOSE FOR IF THERE WERE DEFICIENCIES IN STUDENTS COMING FORWARD FROM FORM 7,
ONE YEAR THEN SUCH DEFICIENCIES WOULD SURELY BE MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED EARLIER, AT THE END OF FORM 6.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, SURELY THE
ΤΟ RIGHT APPROACH REMEDYING SUCH DEFICIENCIES LAY IN DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING SIXTH FORM EDUCATION, AND NOT IN LENGTHENING COURSES IN THE TERTIARY
INSTITUTIONS.
MR CHEONG WARNED THAT, IF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES RETAINED OR
THE TWO ADOPTED A POST FORM 6 ENTRY POINT,
POLYTECHNICS AND JIKUST LENGTH WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW SUIT BY INCREASING THE
OF THEIR DEGREE COURSES BY ONE YEAR, THEREBY RISK JEOPARDISING THE SYSTEM OF VALIDATION AND PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION WHICH UNDERWROTE OF THEIR COURSES.
THE
IR CHEONG NOTED THAT, INDEED, THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH WOULD BE VERY SERIOUS.
EXTERNAL QUALITY
A MOVE
FORM 7 WOULD NO LONGER BE VIABLE AND WOULD DISAPPEAR ALONG INTRODUCE A NEW WITH THE A-L EXAMINATION. IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO
CERTIFICATE MAJOR EXAMINATION AT THE END OF FORM 6, BOTH TO PROVIDE A FOR EXIT AND TO SERVE AS AN ENTRY
FOR QUALIFICATION
TERTIARY
EDUCATION.
"IN THIS SITUATION, THE HKCEE EXAMINATION AT THE END OF FORM ALMOST INEVITABLY BE COULD NOT HE SUSTAINED AND THE RESULT WOULD STRAIGHT SIX YEAR SECONDARY COURSE.'
5
A
NUMBERS OF
THIS WOULD IN PRACTICE HAVE THE EFFECT OF RAISING LEAVING AGE FOR LARGE
HAVE WOULD
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS.
PUPILS AND
THE SCHOOL ENORMOUS
6 MR CHEONG POINTED OUT THAT, TO MOVE TO A FOUR YEAR POST FORM
VERY SUBSTANTIALLY RAISE ENTRY SYSTEM FOR DEGREE COURSES WOULD ALSO THE COSTS OF EDUCATING EACH STUDENT ENROLLED IN A DEGREE COURSE.
/HONG KONG