XN000022-1975-10-24 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1975

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EMPLOYERS URGED TO USE TECHNICAL TRAINING FACILITIES

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, HAS URGED EMPLOYERS TO MAKE FULL USE OF FACILITIES FOR TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE TECHNOLOGY THAT HONG KONG NEEDS TO MAINTAIN ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE.

SIR MURRAY MADE THE CALL IN AN ADDRESS READ ON HIS BEHALF BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE KWUN TONG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WHICH BEGAN COURSES LAST MONTH WITH AN ENROLMENT OF OVER 1,000 FIRST-YEAR CRAFT AND TECHNICIAN STUDENTS.

THE GOVERNOR WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY AS HE IS STILL RECUPERATING FROM A BROKEN LEG.

IN HIS SPEECH, SIR MURRAY EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF PART- TIME DAY RELEASE SCHEMES WHICH PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF CONCURRENT AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN ADOPTED AS THE MOST ECONOMIC AND EFFECTIVE MEANS OF MEETING HONG KONG'S FUTURE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS.

THE GOVERNOR EARNESTLY HOPED THAT EMPLOYERS WILL SHARE WITH THE GOVERNMENT THIS 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.+

HE NOTED THAT FIRM LINKS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE AND THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DODIES RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING. +SUCH LIAISON AND CO-OPERATION ARE VITAL FOR THE RIGHT USE OF RESOURCES INCLUDING SCARCE AND EXPERT MANPOWER AND COSTLY EQUIPMENT,+ HE SAID,

THE GOVERNOR DESCRIBED THE OPENING OF KWUN TONG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE PROGRESS OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, AND NOTED THAT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES WERE NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO EXPAND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH SITES FOR ADDITIONAL INSTITUTES ALREADY EARMARKED IN SHATIM, TUEN MUN AND TSUEN WAN.

HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT TECHNICAL EDUCATION WAS EXPENSIVE AND, ALTHOUGH SUCH ́EXPENDITURE WAS ESSENTIAL TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STABILITY, LARGE EXPENDITURE IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AT THE PRESENT TIME COULD NOT DE TAKEN LIGHTLY.

+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,+ HE STRESSED.

THE GOVERNOR

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