XN000022-1977-05-11 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1977

+PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, HE SAID, +PROVIDE THREE YEARS OF EDUCATION LEADING FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL MAINLY TO APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES OR DIRECT TO EMPLOYMENT.+

SPEAKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, MR. KINGWELL SAID THAT MUCH WOULD DEPEND UPON THE ATTITUDES AND THE IMAGE THAT TECHNICAL EDUCATION COULD CREATE FOR ITSELF.

THE

+THE ATTITUDES OF THE PUBLIC, PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, INDUSTRIALISTS ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR EMPHASISED.

SOCIETY MUST ACCORD TO TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE EQUAL PRIDE OF PLACE WITH THOSE WHO QUALIFY FOR THE MORE ORTHODOX OR MORE ACADEMIC PROFESSIONS AND, AS MR. KINGWELL PUT IT, +PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, INDUSTRY MUST BE PREPARED TO CHANGE ITS SALARY STRUCTURES AND PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE OUTPUT OF GRADUATES FROM THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE POLYTECHNIC.+

HE STRESSED: +IF-HONG KONG IS TO HOLD ITS OWN, INDUSTRY GENERALLY (NOT JUST IN THE TECHNICAL FIELD) MUST BE PREPARED TO PAY THE PRICE FOR A BETTER EDUCATED AND TRAINABLE WORK FORCE. INDUSTRY AND HONG KONG GENERALLY WILL OBTAIN ITS REWARD OR DIVIDEND BY BEING ABLE TO TRADE UP AND TO PRODUCE A BETTER ARTICLE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND TO COPE WITH A WIDER RANGE OF PRODUCTS.

+OF COURSE, OUR SCHOOLS MUST NEVER FORGET THAT SOME FORM OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IS AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN ALL EDUCATION. OUR UNIVERSITIES MUST RECOGNISE THE NEWER TECHNICAL SUBJECTS (SUCH AS ENGINEERING SCIENCE) FOR UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS.+

IN CONCLUSION THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR SKILLED CRAFTSMEN, TECHNICIANS AND ENGINEERS TO GAIN PARALLEL RECOGNITION WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS, HONG KONG NEEDED THE HELP AND UNDERSTANDING OF WOMEN +TO ENCOURAGE AND SUSTAIN THE NATURAL AMBITION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE (INCLUDING THE GIRLS) TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN OUR INDUSTRIALISING SOCIETY.+

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