THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1994
THE GOOD, SOLID PROGRESS. BUT, AS EVER, THE FINAL SENTENCE ON REPORT CARD READS "COULD DO BETTER" IT IS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO MEET OUR IMMEDIATE TARGETS. WE HAVE CONSTANTLY TO LOOK BEYOND THEM, TO TRY TO DETECT AND ADAPT TO THE NEW NEEDS OF TOMORROW.
LET ME SKETCH OUT HOW WE SEE THOSE NEXT FEW YEARS BY OFFERING MEMBERS A BRIEF TOUR D'HORIZON OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, STARTING, WHERE A SCHOOLING BEGINS, AT THE PRE-PRIMARY LEVEL.
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OVER 85% OF OUR CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF SIX NOW ATTEND KINDERGARTEN. THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION SHOULD FORM PART OF THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM. PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION IS PLAINLY AN AREA WHERE WE CAN WORK FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS FORMED A SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THIS. WE ARE NOW WAITING FOR THE BOARD'S AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S ADVICE BEFORE DECIDING HOW BEST TO ACT TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF OUR KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION.
AT
THE NEXT LEVEL UP. SCHOOL EDUCATION, THE EDUCATION
COMMISSION HAS SET UP SPECIAL WORKING GROUPS TO LOOK AT THREE AREAS OF WIDESPREAD CONCERN:
EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS;
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY;
AND THE WAY IN WHICH WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO OUR SCHOOLS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR REPORT LATER THIS YEAR. IT WILL HELP TO GUIDE US AS WE DEBATE THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.
UPGC
THE UPGC HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED A MAJOR CONSULTATION EXERCISE ON ITS INTERIM REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG. THIS IS A GOOD REPORT FOCUSING SQUARELY ON THE FUTURE. IT HAS PROVOKED LIVELY DEBATE IN THE EDUCATION WORLD, PROMPTING THE TO EXTEND ITS CONSULTATION PERIOD BY TWO MONTHS. WE LOOK FORWARD
UPGC'S THE
FINAL REPORT, FURTHER ENRICHED BY THIS
PERIOD EXTRA
CONSULTATION.
TO
OF
ΤΟ
IF
AND
CENTRE,
FINALLY, CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING. THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS IMPRESSED ME PARTICULARLY SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN HONG KONG. LET ME MAKE JUST ONE POINT; IF HONG KONG IS TO RETAIN ITS CAPACITY ADAPT QUICKLY AND SKILFULLY TO A CHANGING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, HONG KONG IS TO COMPETE AS A HIGH-TECH INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS IT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE RE-TRAIN OUR WORKFORCE. THE PACE OF CHANGE IN THE MARKETPLACE NEVER IF SLOWS. IF WE SLACKEN OUR PACE, THEN OUR COMPETITORS SURGE AHEAD. WK FAIL TO UPGRADE OUR SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE, OUR PRODUCTS WON'T MAKE THE GRADE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
STUDIES.
THE
EXECUTIVE
WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL. HONG KONG ALREADY OFFERS A QUARTER OF A
THE MILLION PLACES IN PART-TIME COURSES AND EXTRA-MURAL VTC OFFERS 58,000 ALONE. MY SENIOR COLLEAGUE ON COUNCIL, BARONESS DUNN, IS OPENING THEIR NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN CHAI THE EMPLOYEES WAN THIS AFTERNOON, WHICH WILL PROVIDE FURTHER PLACES. RETRAINING BOARD HAS ALREADY PUT 12,500 TRAINEES THROUGH THEIR COURSES IN UNDER A YEAR.
/NOWADAYS, PEOPLE