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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1989
"THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN AN EXPANSION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION ON SO MASSIVE AND COMPLEX A SCALE, AND WITHIN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME.
'IT WILL INEVITABLY REQUIRE CAREFUL PLANNING AND CO-ORDINATION. ACCORDINGLY, IN ADDITION TO THE PLANS THE UPGC AND THE VTC MUST THEMSELVES MAKE, I AM CHAIRING A STEERING GROUP TO OVERSEE AND CO- ORDINATE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF OUR EXPANSION PLAN," MR YEUNG SAID.
THE GROUP INCLUDES THE CHAIRMEN OF THE UPGC AND THE VTC. AND OFFICIALS OF THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH, THE FINANCE BRANCH AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
NOTING THAT CAUTION HAD BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THE EXPANSION OF DEGREE PLACES SHOULD NOT BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE FALL IN AVERAGE STANDARDS WHICH FOLLOWED THE RAPID GROWTH OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE 1980'S, THE SECRETARY SAID NEITHER HE NOR THE
INSTITUTIONS UNDERESTIMATED THE CHALLENGE.
ΤΟ
TERTIARY
HE POINTED OUT THAT DIFFERENT TEACHING METHODS MIGHT BE NEEDED CATER FOR A WIDER RANGE OF INTEREST AND ABILITY, AS SUGGESTED BY MANY MEMBERS DURING THE DEBATE.
MR YEUNG EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE GOOD REASONS FOR OPTIMISM AS CIRCUMSTANCES NOW WERE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE A DECADE AGO, WHEN SUBSIDISED SECONDARY PLACES WERE RAPIDLY CREATED BY BUYING FROM SCHOOLS WHICH COULD NOT, IN MANY CASES, MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE AIDED SECTOR.
W
'THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE IN OUR PROGRAMME FOR TERITARY EXPANSION, BECAUSE THE EXPANSION WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH INSTITUTIONS WITH PROVEN TRACK RECORDS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, HE SAID.
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"THESE INSTITUTIONS HAVE WELL-ESTABLISHED SYSTEMS OF QUALITY CONTROL," HE ADDED.
"IN THE CASE OF THE POLYTECHNICS AND THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE, THERE IS ALSO ASSESSMENT BY AN EXTERNAL ACCREDITING BODY WHICH ADVISES THE UPGC ON WHETHER THE DEGREES THEY OFFERED REACHED INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.
"THIS EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT FUNCTION WILL BE ASSUMED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION IN EARLY 1990," MR YEUNG SAID, ADDING THAT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION WOULD BE PRESENTED SOON TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT A VARIETY OF STUDIES AND POLICY PROPOSALS WERE BEING DEVELOPED BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION AND OTHER ADVISORY BODIES.
AGREEING THAT A LOGICAL AGENDA SHOULD BE SET UP FOR THESE ADVISORY BODIES AND FOR THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF, MR YEUNG SAID THAT IN ITS NEXT REPORT ΤΟ BE PUBLISHED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1990. THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WOULD RECOMMEND SUCH AN AGENDA IN THE FORM OF A FRAMEWORK IN WHICH ISSUES COULD BE CONSIDERED
IN AN ORDERLY AND EFFICIENT MANNER.
/HE SAID