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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1988
WIDER VIEW ON REPORT URGED
*
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD ATTEMPT TO COMMENT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 3 FROM A PERSPECTIVE WIDER THAN THAT WHICH REPRESENTS ANY ONE POINT OF VIEW,
PROP THE HON POON CHUNG-KWONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE COUNCIL'S DEBATE ON THE REPORT, PROF POON SAID THE EDUCATIONALISTS VIEW OF TERTIARY EDUCATION STRUCTURE MUST BE BALANCED BY THE REALITIES OF PARENTAL CONCERN, STUDENTS' EXPECTATIONS, SOCIETAL NEEDS THROUGH THE EYES OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS AND OVERALL AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES.
5+1+4,
HE SAID THE THEORETICAL STRUCTURE OF
3+3+4 OR 5+2+OPTIONAL LENGTH OF THE FIRST DEGREE COURSE WAS MUCH MORE THAN A NUMBERS GAME AND THAT IT REPRESENTED TRAINING LEADERS FOR THE FUTURE.
NOTING THAT THE PRESENT FIRST-YEAR INTAKE OF THE UNIVERSITIES WAS ONLY SIX PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITHIN THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP, PROF POON SAID THAT TIL!. SORT он EDUCATION FOR SOME OF THE OTHER 91 PER CENT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO ENTERED THE SIXTH FORM AS A TERMINAL COURSE, WAS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE IDEAL PACKAGE THAT WAS WANTED FOR UNDERGRADUATES.
A
11F SAID TRAT WHILE
FOUR-YEAR FIRST DEGREE COURSE WAS SUPPORTABLE IN UPHOLDING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HONOURS DEGREES, AN EVEN MORI URGENT TASK AT HAND WAS TO SORT OUT THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM.
PROP POON WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE WORKING GROUP SET UP ΤΟ DO THIS JOR WOULD WORK OUT A CURRICULUM THAT NOT ONLY CATERED FOR THE NFFDS OFT THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS AND OUR SOCIETY, BUT WAS ALSO FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW CERTAIN 'HIGH FLYERS" IN THE SIXTH FORMS TO ENTER UNIVERSITY AFTER ONE YEAR.
HE
PE
A
URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE APPROPRIATENESS OF APPROVING COMMON ADMISSION AFTER SECONDARY 7 AS MATTER OF POLICY.
IT SHOULD ALSO BEAR IN MIND THE NEED FÖR FLEXIBILITY AS WELL AS TO TAKE HEED OF THE EXPERIENCE OF CERTAIN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD COPED SUCCESSFULLY WITH INTAKE AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF THE MATRICULATION COURSE.
I
IT COULD BE THAT, WITH AN IMPROVED SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM SOME YEARS FROM NOW IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY ΤΟ INSIST THAT ENTRANCE TO DEGREE PROGRAMMES AT ALL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE AFTER SECONDARY
HE SAID.
4 1
4-
1
-
FINALLA NOTING THAT EDUCATION FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY WAS AMONG THI SUBJECTS NOW UNDER STUDY BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, PROF POON FRGED THE OMM158TON TO COMPLFTE ITS MONOGRAPII ON THIS SUBJECT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
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