manner.
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Another area of concern is on the temporary shortage of Secondary One places in parts of the New Territories. This is being tackled actively and in a practicable As Members understand already, to ensure cost-effectiveness, secondary school places are provided on a territory-wide basis, with shortfalls in one district being met by surpluses in others, and new schools built only to meet persistent shortfalls in the territory as a whole. To build all secondary schools on a district basis would have meant a complete wasteful use of resources. Meanwhile, district shortfalls are being tackled urgently by a combination of measures, including the advance opening of new schools, operating extra classes and allocating extra students per class in existing schools. Schools are of course given extra resources and assistance to meet these additional requirements. In the longer term, new schools in the pipeline should provide the more permanent solution.
Tertiary Education
Some Members have commented on the quality of tertiary education. The tertiary institutions have experienced a period of rapid expansion and development over the past six or seven years, but in 1994-95 we have achieved our target of 14,500 first year first degree places for 18% of the age group. Thereafter it would be a period of consolidation in the growth of first year places. The challenge has been and remain to ensure that academic standards are maintained at internationally recognised levels. More emphasis will be therefore placed on improving the quality of teaching. To this end, the University Grants Committee will conduct academic process audits of each of the institutions over the next few years. These audits will review the institutions' teaching and learning quality assurance and improvement processes, and involve visits to institutions to review departmental performance as well as faculty and student perceptions of these processes.
Several Members have raised concern about a number of management issues within the institutions concerned. As Members are aware, tertiary institutions are independent statutory bodies with autonomy in respect of their internal management of staff. We hold them fully accountable, for example, for the terms and conditions of employment, the discipline and management of staff and the viability of their superannuation schemes. The governing councils of these institutions take full responsibility under the respective ordinances for these duties. The Government accepts that there should be a high degree of transparency in these processes. The University Grants Committee in its advisory role on funding and policy development will continue its monitoring role in these respects.