XN000022-1976-03-12 — Page 6

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1976

TECHNICAL COURSES TO SUIT

INDUSTRY'S NEEDS

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IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION SYSTEM PROVIDES COURSES SUITED TO MEET THE CURRENT NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE, MR. JOHN MARDEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHEELOCK MARDEN AND CO. LTD., SAID TODAY.

THE SYSTEM, HE SAID, MUST ALSO BE ABLE TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNIQUES REQUIRED FOR NEW PRODUCTS IN ORDER TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO KEEP ITS LEAD IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE BUSINESS WORLD.+

MR. MARDEN WAS ADDRESSING THE GATHERING AT THE FIRST SPEECH DAY OF THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE IN THE THEATRE OF THE CITY HALL.

+WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS, WHICH IS ONLY JUST GETTING INTO ITS STRIDE IN HONG KONG, THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THERE IS AN ON-GOING AND CONTINUING NEED FOR A TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW CONSTRUCTING A NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATE NEAR TAI PO FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTRACTING ENGINEERING BASED INDUSTRIES TO HONG KONG.

MR. MARDEN SAID +THESE ARE THE FACTORIES THAT YOU AT THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE WILL BE TRAINING THE WORKERS FOR AT ALL LEVELS, WHO WILL HAVE BEEN DRAWN FROM ALL THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION SYSTEM.+

THE COLLEGE, ESTABLISHED IN 1974, IS OPERATING IN TEMPORARY PREMISES IN QUEEN'S ROAD EAST. IT WILL TAKE OVER THE BUILDINGS OF THE VICTORIA TECHNICAL SCHOOL WHEN THE SCHOOL IS REHOUSED.

MR. MARDEN SAID THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE WOULD THEN HAVE MUCH BETTER AND ENLARGED FACILITIES FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK OF TRAINING TECHNICAL TEACHERS.

HE CONGRATULATED THE 165 GRADUATES, WHO LEFT THE COLLEGE TO TAKE UP THEIR CAREERS LAST JUNE.

MR. MARDEN POINTED OUT THAT OVER 300 NEW TECHNICAL TEACHERS WOULD BE NEEDED BY 1978.

IN HIS OPENING REMARKS, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), MR. ANDREW KINGWELL, SAID: THE QUALITY OF THE GRADUATES OF THIS COLLEGE WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE SKILL OF OUR FUTURE TECHNICIANS AND CRAFTSMEN.

/+SKILLED