WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1993
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO INTENDS TO SET UP A COMMITTEE TO ADVISE THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USE OF THE $300 MILLION LANGUAGE FUND PROPOSED IN THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS.
THE SECRETARY BELIEVED THAT THE FUND WOULD ENABLE NEW INITIATIVES TO BE TAKEN, PROBLEM AREAS TO BE STUDIED AND TEMPORARY GAPS IN FUNDING TO BE FILLED.
"IT WILL ADD IMPETUS TO THE EFFORTS NOW BEING MADE IN SCHOOLS AND BY THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO RAISE LANGUAGE STANDARDS.
PROGRAMMES
OF
"THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR THE APPROVED то ENSURE THAT RESOURCES ARE PROPERLY USED AND THAT THE QUALITY LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SCHOOLS IS ENHANCED."
ON THE PROVISION OF QUALIFIED CHINESE AND ENGLISH TEACHERS, LEUNG SAID THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TEACHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS WAS REVIEWING THE CASE AND PRACTICALITIES INCREASING THE PROPORTION OF SUCH SUBJECT-TRAINED TEACHERS.
MR
AND FOR
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION IS ALSO REVIEWING ITS PROGRAMME FOR TRAINING LANGUAGE TEACHERS, AS PART OF THE OVERALL EXERCISE TO UPGRADE THE PREPARATION AND IN-SERVICE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS.
FIRST JOINT ADMISSION SCHEME DUE FOR REVIEW
OF THE
IS TO
THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF THE JOINT ADMISSION SCHEME POLYTECHNICS, TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND COLLEGES (JASPIC) UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF THE FIRST YEAR OPERATION OF THE SCHEME ΤΟ SRE HOW IT MAY BE IMPROVED.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG MAN- KWONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR LEUNG SAID SOME 30 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SCHEME HAD BEEN RECEIVED SO FAR.
"ALL THESE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE APPLICANTS.'
"MOST OF THEM CONCERNED THE OFFER OF PLACES BY THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS DURING THE ADMISSION PROCESS," HE SAID.
"THESE OCCURRED LARGELY DURING THE CLEARING PERIOD AND REFLECTED A LEARNING PROCESS FOR BOTH THE APPLICANTS AND THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS."
IN HIS REPLY, MR LEUNG ALSO REVEALED THAT IN 1993/94, THE TWO POLYTECHNICS PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 2.621 FIRST YEAR SUB-DEGREE PLACES WHILE THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES PROVIDED 1,400 PLACES.
CURRENT REGISTRATION FIGURES SHOW THAT THESE INSTITUTIONS OVER-ENROLLED BY ABOUT THREE TO FIVE PER CENT.
HAVE
/THE TWO