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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1992
FUTURE LIES IN EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT
HK'S FUTURE LIES IN IMPROVING QUALITY OF EDUCATION HAVING ACHIEVED QUANTITATIVE TARGETS IN SCHOOLS AND WITH THE AMBITIOUS TERTIARY EXPANSION PROGRAMME WELL ON TRACK.
QUALITY.
THE EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION IN HONG KONG MUST NOW BE TO IMPROVE
THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, TOLD THE AUDIENCE AT THE ANNUAL FELLOWSHIP DINNER OF THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION TONIGHT (THURSDAY) THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENT WOULD NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
"WE
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MUST GO ABOUT IT METHODICALLY HE SAID. "WE NEED TO SET OUT OUR AIMS, DEVELOP A STRATEGY, FORMULATE SPECIFIC POLICIES AND DRAW UP REALISTIC PLANS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
"THIS PROCESS IS SIMPLE IN CONCEPT, NO DIFFERENCE FROM A TYPICAL ANSWER TO A TYPICAL QUESTION FOR MBA STUDENTS.
"WHAT DISTINGUISHES IT FROM AN ACADEMIC EXERCISE IS THAT ITS SCALE IS GIGANTIC, INVOLVING 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN FULL-TIME EDUCATION AND 17 PER CENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNUAL EXPENDITURE, AND THAT IT IS FOR REAL, CARRYING WITH IT THE FUTURE WELLBEING OF THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY.
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ON SETTING OUT A COHERENT AND COMPREHENSIVE SET OF AIMS FOR SCHOOLS, MR CHAN TOLD THE GATHERING THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION RECENTLY PUBLISHED A STATEMENT OF AIMS FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION WHICH SET OUT IN CLEAR TERMS WHAT THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THE FIELD PARENTS, TEACHERS, EMPLOYERS AND EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD BE STRIVING TO ACCOMPLISH.
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IT ALSO TRIED, THROUGH THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXERCISE. TO INVOLVE EVERYONE IN IDENTIFYING AND REACHING A CONSENSUS ON WHAT HONG KONG WANTED TO END UP.
"SETTING OURSELVES CLEAR AIMS WILL HELP ALL то PLAY THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES AND ENSURE THAT DEBATE ON DIFFERENT WAYS OF GETTING THERE WILL NOT OBSCURE OUR VISION OF THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION," HE SAID.
THE DRAWING UP OF A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF AIMS FOR SCHOOLS HAS NOT HELD UP ACTION TO DEVELOP A BROAD STRATEGY.
MR CHAN SAID THE EXISTING STRATEGY OF EXPANDING TERTIARY EDUCATION AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SCHOOLS WAS ON TRACK TO MEET THE TARGET OF PROVIDING 14,500 FIRST-YEAR FIRST-DEGREE PLACES BY 1994.
FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR ACADEMIC PLANS, FOR THE 1992-1995 TRIENNIUM.
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