XN000022-1977-07-27 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 19/7

GOOD PROSPECTS FOR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION GRADUATES

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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. COLVYN HAYE SAID TODAY THERE WERE GOOD PROSPECTS DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR GRADUATES FROM FULL-TIME COURSES FROM THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. HAYE SAID SECONDARY EDUCATION WAS EXPANDING RAPIDLY AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT GRADUATES FROM THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION WOULD HAVE TO LOOK MAINLY TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS RATHER THAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOR JOBS IN THE FUTURE.

+WE ARE RAPIDLY EXPANDING SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH A VIGOROUS SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME AND WE ARE PLANNING TO MEET AMBITIOUS REHABILITATION TARGETS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE FURTHER JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE INTAKE OF THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION WOULD BE REGULATED SO AS TO MATCH SUPPLY WITH DEMAND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

SIX PER CENT INCREASE FOR PENSIONERS

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A SIX PER CENT INCREASE FOR ALL PENSIONS IN PAYMENT ON JULY 1, 1977 WITH EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 1 BECAUSE OF HIGHER COST OF LIVING.

THE COST OF THE INCREASE IS ESTIMATED AT $3.65 MILLION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR AND $7.3 MILLION IN A FULL YEAR.

MOVING A RESOLUTION IN COUNCIL TODAY, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON, JOSEPH HAMMOND, SAID IN DECEMBER 1975 NEW RULES WERE ADOPTED BY GOVERNMENT FOR REVIEWING CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS, INCLUDING WIDOWS AND ORPHANS PENSIONS.

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THESE RULES, HE SAID, WAS TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL PURCHASING POWER IN HONG KONG OF RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS' PENSIONS BY REGULAR REVIEWS AND BY REFERENCE TO MOVEMENTS IN THE COST OF LIVING DURING THE REVIEW PERIOD.

LAST YEAR THESE RULES WERE APPLIED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND, FOLLOWING A REVIEW COVERING THE PERIOD APRIL 1, 1974 TO JUNE 30 1976, PENSIONS IN PAYMENT ON JULY 1, 1976 WERE INCREASED BY 11 PER CENT WITH EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 1, 1976, BY RESOLUTIONS AMENDING THE RESPECTIVE SCHEDULES IN THE PENSIONS INCREASE) ORDINANCE AND THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS PENSION (INCREASE) ORDINANCE, MR. HAYMOND SAID.

+ANOTHER REVIEW OF PENSIONS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED RECENTLY COVERING THE PERIOD JULY 1, 1976 TO JUNE 30, 1977, DURING WHICH THE MOVING ANNUAL AVERAGE OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX +A+ ROSE BY SIX POINTS OR 5.5 PER CENT, HE SAID.

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