XN000022-1976-02-20 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1976

SPEAKING AT THE SAME FUNCTION, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), MR. ANDREW KINGWELL, DISCLOSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ADOPTED A NEW APPROACH TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE OF THE FIRST FIVE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES BEFORE DRAWING UP PLANS FOR MORE TO FOLLOW.

THE NEW APPROACH WILL BE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND CLOSE STUDY OF A TEN-YEAR TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME PLAN WHICH WILL BE UNDER ANNUAL REVISION AND WILL ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS.

MR. KINGWELL POINTED OUT THAT THE KWAI CHUNG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WAS THE THIRD OF FIVE SUCH INSTITUTES FORMING THE MAIN THRUST OF PHASE OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

THE FOURTH AT CHEUNG SHA WAN, THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHICH WAS PROGRESSING RAPIDLY, WOULD COMMENCE COURSES IN SEPTEMBER 1977, AND THE FIFTH AT SAN PO KONG WAS AT AN ADVANCED PLANNING STAGE AND MIGHT EVEN COMMENCE BUILDING DURING THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR AND BE READY TO ACCEPT APPRENTICES IN SEPTEMBER 1979.

THE +THESE INSTITUTES REPRESENT A MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT. TOTAL COST OF THE FIRST FIVE WILL BE IN THE REGION OF $120 MILLION. THEY ARE A VISIBLE PROOF OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FAITH IN OUR INDUSTRIES' ABILITY TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT AND TO GENERATE PROSPERITY FOR OUR PEOPLE, HE SAID,

IT WOULD THEREFORE BE REASONABLE TO EVALUATE IN DETAIL THE SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE OF THE FIVE INSTITUTES BEFORE DRAWING UP PLANS FOR MORE TO FOLLOW, MR. KINGWELL SAID, BUT SUCH A PROCESS WOULD BE EXTREMELY TIME-CONSUMING AND DEMANDING OF RESOURCES WHICH WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE.

+THERE WOULD BE A GREAT LOSS OF MOMENTUM AND HONG KONG INDUSTRIES COULD. FOR SEVERAL YEARS DURING THE NEXT DECADE OR TWO, BE ILL-PREPARED TO MEET THE INCREASING CHALLENGE OF A SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD.+

THE TEN-YEAR TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME PLAN WAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS APPROACH, HE SAID.

+THIS PLAN IS AT PRESENT IN COURSE OF PREPARATION AND THE FIRST SIX OF TEN STAGES WILL SOON BE READY. PUT SIMPLY THE PLAN CONSISTS OF A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF INDUSTRY PRODUCED FROM MANPOWER SURVEYS, AND A PHASED PROGRAMME TO DEVELOP THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT IT.+

HOWEVER, THE PLAN HAD ITS SHORTCOMINGS, MR. KINGWELL ADDED AS IT DEPENDED ON THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION FED IN BY INDUSTRY.

/+IN VIEW .....