XN000022-1976-12-08 — Page 2

-

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1976

CALL FOR JOINT MATRICULATION EXAM. AND SHORTER COURSES

IN CHINESE UNIVERSITY

******

THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG, TODAY CALLED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMMON MATRICULATION EXAMINATION FOR THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE REDUCTION FROM FOUR TO THREE YEARS THE DURATION OF THE COURSES IN THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

BOTH PROPOSALS WERE SUPPORTED BY REV. THE HON, JOYCE BENNETT AND THE FIRST RECEIVED FURTHER SUPPORT FROM THE HON. MISS KO SIU-WAH.

SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG BILL 1976, DR. CHUNG SAID THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED FOR RATIONALISATION AND UNIFICATION OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES IN HONG KONG.

HE POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THE STUDENT POPULATION IN EACH OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES WAS ABOUT 4,000 WHEREAS THERE WERE ABOUT 285,000 PUPILS IN THE ANGLO-CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND ONLY ABOUT 64,000 PUPILS IN THE CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR THE FIVE FORMS.

HE SAID THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CONSEQUENCES OF THIS IMBALANCE AND THAT ONE OF THESE IS, OBVIOUSLY, THE EXTREMELY KEEN COMPETITION AMONG THE PUPILS OF ANGLO-CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR PLACES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG+.

+ANOTHER CONSEQUENCE IS THE DIVERSION OF A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM ANGLO-CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS INTO THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY WHERE THE COURSES AND LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN DESIGNED BASICALLY FOR STUDENTS FROM THE CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.

DR. CHUNG SAID THAT UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM, +A LARGE PROPORTION OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO ATTEND THREE MAJOR PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS IN THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

+WE MUST RECTIFY THIS UNDESIRABLE SITUATION WITHOUT DELAY IF WE ARE TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH OUR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION,+ HE STRESSED.

DR. CHUNG SAID THE UNOFFICIALS SUPPORTED THE GENERAL BASIC PRINCIPLE RECOMMENDED BY THE FULTON COMMISSION.

+WE FEEL THAT THE PRESENT FEDERAL NATURE OF THE UNIVERSITY MUST BE CHANGED SO THAT ALL POWERS AND FUNCTIONS IN THE GOVERNING OF THE UNIVERSITY AND THE COLLEGES ARE VESTED IN THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL AND SENATE.

+WE UNDERSTAND THAT AT ONE TIME MANY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS IN THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY WERE QUADRUPLED, HE SAID.

/+IT WAS