XN000022-1976-04-07 — Page 38

-

- 37

Wednesday, April 7, 1976

Replying to Mr. Alex Wu's call for a more scrupulous examination

of arrangements for technical education and in particular for pre-voc.tional

schools, Mr. Topley said: "The fact is that we shall be moving from a

total of 11,000 to a total of 18,000 places in pre-vocational schools by 1980 and we shall soon be seeking the approval of the Finance Committee of this Council for this facet of our plans for expanding secondary education."

He added: "It is exceedingly true that we must aim for the

right balance of general and technical education and must co-ordinate our efforts, so that there is an economical progress from technical education

in the schools to the technical institutes, the Polytechnic and the

Universities."

In response to Dr. S.Y. Chung's call on a recent occasion for a

co-ordinating body to examine and progress technical education as a whole, Mr. Topley said: "We are moving towards the establishment of a technical education steering group in association with the Board of Education,"

Answering Dr. Harry Fang, Mr. Topley said: "I must admit frankly

to my failure to carry through on time the programme of special education approved by the Finance Committee of this Council and I must further state that I cannot give him the assurances for which he has cuite properly asked.

The position is that we have a target but lack some tools essential to moet it; in particular we need a pay and career structure for teachers i.: special education. A comprehensive Code of Aid, the instrument of such a structure,

has been drafted but has not yet been brought to the point of approv=l."

138