XN000022-1977-01-19 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19. 1977

* TO ENRICH ONE'S LIFE BY EDUCATING PEOPLE TO BE BETTER PARENTS,

A COMMUNITY OF BETTER PARENTS WHO PROVIDE A BETTER HOME LIFE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, IS MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BREED VIOLENCE AND CRIME,

* TO HELP DEVELOP THE INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO ADJUST TO CHANGE

AND TO COPE WITH NEW SITUATIONS AND PROBLEMS, AND

* TO TEACH PEOPLE THE ART OF LIVING AND TO IMPROVE HUMAN

RELATIONSHIPS.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF MISS KO'S VIEWS, THE HON. JAMES WU FELT THAT THE UNIVERSITIES. THE POLYTECHNIC AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES SHOULD EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS TO RETURN TO THE EDUCATIONAL STREAM BY A VARIETY OF FLEXIBLE COURSES.

MR. WU THOUGHT THAT RECURRENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES REGARDLESS OF MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS OR OF CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATUS.

MR. WU DESCRIBED ADULT EDUCATION AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF HONG KONG'S RESOURCES THAT +MAKES FOR A SKILLED AND ADAPTABLE LABOUR FORCE, PERSONAL WORK SATISFACTION, TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.+

+I BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT NOW TRULY RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE VOCATIONAL COMPETENCE OF OUR PEOPLE THAT IS SO VITAL TO OUR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING.+

REPLYING TO THE POINTS RAISED BY THE TWO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, SAID THAT A WELL DEFINED POLICY ON ADULT EDUCATION IMPLIED WELL-DEFINED PRIORITIES.

HE HOPED THAT THE GREEN PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEN FOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION WOULD PROVIDE FIRM GUIDELINES FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

+ THE AIM MUST BE TO ACHIEVE A WELL-DEFINED POLICY, BUT I BELIEVE A CERTAIN GRADUALISM IS INEVITABLE BECAUSE WE MUST TAKE ACCOUNT OF WHAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE ON THE GROUND AND WHICH WE WILL NOT WISH TO SWEEP AWAY BUT RATHER TO MOULD TO LONG TERM AIMS, + HE SAID.

FOR THE MEDIUM TERM, MR. TOPLEY INDICATED THAT HE WOULD NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE BASE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION IN THAT SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT +NOT JUST TO CONDUCT OUR OWN OPERATIONS IN THE FIELD MORE EFFECTIVELY, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE A SOURCE OF ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO OTHER AGENCIES.+

+THERE IS SOME IMMEDIATE POTENTIAL FOR BETTER COORDINATION PARTICULARLY FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF ADULT EDUCATION AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE AN EARLY INITIATIVE IN THIS FIELD.+

THE DIRECTOR