XN000022-1972-10-18 — Page 5

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Wednesday, October 18, 1972

EDUCATION IN THE '706 SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL

The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today spoke of Hong Kong's

educational development and outlined Government's improvement and expansion

plans for the various stages of education.

He said the main thrust of educational effort during the rest of

the '70s must be in secondary and technical education.

At the same time, he added, increased secondary education carries with it the necessity of correspondingly increasing facilities in the tertiary

education field.

The Governor was speaking at the opening of the 1972-73 session of

the Legislative Council.

On primary education, he said now that the objective of free primary

education for all has been achieved, Government will endeavour to improve the

quality of the education made available,

"We are well on the

As regards secondary education, Sir Murray said: way to achieving the present interim target of three years post-primary education for 50 per cent of all children in the 12-14 year age group.

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Government now proposes to address itself to the absolute objective

of providing this education for all children in the age group, he said.

In recent months, he said, the Education Department and the Colonial Secretariat have worked hard on the practicabilities and implications of such

a change in objectives.

/The Governor ................