XN000022-1975-10-24 — Page 14

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Technical institutes are now firmly established as an essential

part of Goverment's plan to expand post-secondary education and sites for

additional institutes have been ear marked in Shatin, Tuen Mun and Tsuen

Wall.

The Principal has described the courses offered by the institute

I and the various patterns of student attendance which are available. particularly wish to stress the importance of part-time day release schemes.

This system of concurrent education and on-the-job training has been adopted

as the most economic and effective means of meeting our future manpower

requirements.

It is my earnest hope that employers will share with Government

tuis dual responsibility by offering training to young men and women not only

in the manufacturing industries but also in the important commerce and service

industries.

Technical education is expensive and the building programme for the

institutes and the Polytechnic implies a very substantial commitment both in

capital and in recurrent expenditure.

The ratio of cost to benefit for technical education is not easily

measured but few would dispute that such expenditure is essential in order

to promote economic growth and stability. Nevertheless, at the present time,

large increases in public expenditure cannot be undertaken lightly. This

technical institute cost around $25 million to build and equip. At full

development the annual recurrent costs will be of the order of $7 million.

The priority now given to technical education can only be justified if there

is clear evidence that the facilities are meeting social needs as well as

the requirements of industry and commerce.

Firm links have been established between industry and commerce

and the various government bodies responsible for education and industrial

training. Such liaison and cooperation are vital for the right use of

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