XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977

3.

AS TO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SCHEME, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO PAY, VOLUNTARILY, A HIGHER CONTRIBUTION, THOUGH WITHOUT ANY MATCHING HIGHER CONTRIBUTION FROM THE EMPLOYER AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER.

+ I BELIEVE THAT SOME CONTRIBUTION FROM THE EMPLOYEE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WAY THE SCHEME WOULD WORK BUT THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE CAREFUL NOTE OF WHAT IS SAID ABOUT THE RATE OR CONTRIBUTIONS PAYABLE, HE SAID.

*THE SHAPE THE PROPOSALS ARE TAKING WILL BE DISCUSSED AT AN EARLY STAGE BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS WILL ENABLE THE VIEWS OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTION TO BE TAKEN

INTO ACCOUNT, HE STRESSED.

+PRELIMINARY AND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS BY THE MANAGEMENT REVIEW TEAM WITH THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE ARE

IN FACT ALREADY TAKING PLACE, HE ADDED.

PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND FORM 3 PUBLISHED IN GREEN PAPER

******

THE GOVERNMENT TODAY PUBLISHED IN A GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT ALL LEVELS BEYOND THE NINE-YEAR COURSE OF GENERAL EDUCATION THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL FROM SEPTEMBER 1978.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT IN FORMULATING ITS PROPOSALS THE GOVERNMENT HAD ENDEAVOURED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF STUDENT AND PARENTAL PRESSURE FOR PLACES, THE CAPACITY OF THE ECONOMY TO ABSORB HIGHLY-EDUCATED YOUNG PEOPLE AT SALARIES WHICH WILL SATISFY THE RECIPIENTS AND THE PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION WITH THE ABILITY TO MEET THE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSES TO BE PROVIDED.

HE NOTED THAT IT WAS +RIGHT FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF YOUNG PERSONS TO CONTINUE THE IR POST-FORM 3 EDUCATION ON A PART-TIME BASIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EMPLOYMENT.+ SOME PLACES FOR FORM 3 LEAVERS SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON A PART-TIME DAY OR EVENING BASIS IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND ADULT EDUCATION CENTRES. A DROP OF ABOUT ONE-THIRD OVER 10 YEARS IN THE NUMBER OF 15 YEAR-CLDS EY 1986 WAS ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTOR WHEN CONSIDERING THE PACE OF FUTURE EXPANSION.

/THESE THEMES WERE