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MONDAY, JULY 15, 1991
HK MUST PROVIDE INCREASING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
AND MAINTAIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS: GOVERNOR
IF HONG KONG IS TO BUILD ON ITS ACHIEVEMENTS, IT MUST CONTINUE PROVIDE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
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AT THE SAME TIME, ACADEMIC STANDARDS MUST CONTINUE TO BR MAINTAINED AND RECOGNISED INTERNATIONALLY, HE SAID.
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SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE "QUALITY ASSURANCE HIGHER EDUCATION" INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION, SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING HAD BEEN AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN HONG KONG'S POST-WAR ECONOMIC SUCCESS.
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SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD SET THE AMBITIOUS TARGET OF NEARLY DOUBLING THE INTAKE OF FIRST DEGREE STUDENTS BY SEPTEMBER 1994.
"THIS IS NO EASY TASK. BUT IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT IF THE DEMAND IN HONG KONG FOR ARTICULATE, WELL-EDUCATED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IS TO BE MET, HE SAID.
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SIR DAVID EXPLAINED THAT SUCH DEMAND WAS GROWING RAPIDLY AS HONG KONG'S ECONOMY UNDERWENT A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE.
BLOSSOMING, BANKS, RETAILERS,
AS THE SERVICES SECTOR WAS TRADING COMPANIES, HOTELS, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESSES ALL SAW OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH.
ΤΟ MAKE THE MOST OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES, THEY NEEDED A STEADY FLOW OF YOUNG RECRUITS, SIR DAVID SAID.
ON THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGE FOR HONG KONG'S HIGHER EDUCATION, SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS TO COMBINE THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS GRADUATING FROM POLYTECHNICS AND UNIVERSITIES WHILE, AT THE SAME TIME, MAINTAINING AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, RAISING ACADEMIC STANDARDS.
BUT OF COURSE EVALUATING AND MAINTAINING ACADEMIC STANDARDS WAS
A CHALLENGE FOR ALL PLACES OF LEARNING, HE ADDED.
"THE HIGHER THE LEVELS AND STANDARDS OF LEARNING, THE MORE COMPLEX THE PROCESS OF EVALUATION AND COMPARISON, HE SAID.
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SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG WAS ALSO FACING THE PROBLEM OF TRYING MAKE SURE THAT IT HAD THE RIGHT INSTITUTIONS TO TEST AND KEEP ITS STANDARDS HIGH.
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ON THIS, HE SAID, THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION HAD JUST BEEN SET UP TO TAKE ON THE ROLE PREVIOUSLY PLAYED BY THE BRITISH COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS.
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