4
THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1990
MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE GROWING DEMAND WOULD
NOTABLY BR IN THE COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL SERVICES GROUP OF INDUSTRIES, FOLLOWED BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIES, CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING AND THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADES.
"THE PLAIN FACT UNDERLYING OUR PLANS FOR INCREASING THE PROVISION OF FIRST DEGREE PLACES IS THAT HONG KONG BY THE MID 1990'S WILL NEED MANY MORE WORKERS REQUIRING
HIGH LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, HE SAID.
**
'ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS AND MANAGERS DO NOT GROW ON TREES. THEY HAVE TO BE EDUCATED, TRAINED AND MOTIVATED.
"AFTER MONTHS OF CONSULTATION WITH AND CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL AND THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, I CAN NOW SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT WE WOULD BUILD FAST ENOUGH TO CREATE THE CAPACITY NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE 15,000 FIRST DEGREE PLACES BY 1994-95.
"MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ARE LIKELY TO RECRUIT SUFFICIENT TEACHERS TO MAN THE NECESSARY COURSES.
"I SAY THIS PARTLY BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO FALLING OFF OF INTEREST IN ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT FROM LOCAL OR OVERSEAS SOURCES IN SPITE OF THE EVENTS OF LAST JUNE, AND PARTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE PLANS TO MAKE ACADEMIC WORK IN HONG KONG MORE COMPETITIVE BY AUGMENTING THE LEVEL OF RESEARCH ACTIVITY.'
MR YEUNG EMPAHSISED THAT QUALITY IN THE INTERESTS OF ACHIEVING RAPID EXPANSION WOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED OR COMPROMISED BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY DETERIORATION IN STANDARDS.
BILL
"I HAVE RECENTLY INTRODUCED
INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL A THAT SEEKS ΤΟ CREATE THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION, HE SAID.
TT
BE OUR WATCHDOG FOR ENSURING
"THE COUNCIL WILL ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
QUALITY
"I EXPECT THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL WILL EXPAND OVER TIME, AND THAT IT WILL PLAY AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PART IN MAINTAINING LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE REST OF THE WORLD IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
F
APART FROM EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL, MR YEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE SOME FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, SUCH AS DEVOLUTION OF DECISION-MAKING POWER TO SCHOOLS, MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION, ASSESSING PERFORMANCE AND THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
/HE SAID