XN000022-1978-05-19 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1978

TIME TO DESIGN AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SAYS GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID THIS EVENING THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO DESIGN AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION +WHICH WILL HAVE DIVERSIFIED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, MEET THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY, AND BE WITHIN OUR MEANS TO PROVIDE.+

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY HALL IN KOWLOON TONG, SIR MURRAY SAID ANY PLAN WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE A PROPER USE FOR THE APPROVED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES WOULD BE WASTING VALUABLE ASSETS BECAUSE +THEY VERY MUCH EXIST, THEY DO GOOD WORK, AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE IR DOORS ARE MAKING THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY+.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS USEFUL DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE AND HE WAS SURE THAT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT'S FINAL PLANS ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE FORTHCOMING WHITE PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION THEY WILL INCLUDE A USEFUL AND HONOURABLE ROLE FOR OUR APPROVED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY HALL:

+AS DR. LAM HAS POINTED OUT, THE CEREMONY THIS EVENING IS THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL YEARS OF PLANNING AND HARD WORK BY THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE. THE COMPLETION OF A MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING OF THIS SIZE AND STANDARD IS NO MEAN ACHIEVEMENT.

+THIS HALL WILL BRING CONSIDERABLE BENEFITS TO THE COLLEGE AND ENRICH THE COLLEGE CURRICULA ESPECIALLY FOR MUSIC AND THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

+ I AM GLAD THESE FACILITIES WILL BE SHARED WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND ORGANISATIONS WISHING TO HIRE THEM FOR SUCH OCCASIONS AS ASSEMBLIES, CONFERENCES AND CONCERTS.

+TOMORROW AN INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL WILL BEGIN. I HOPE THIS FESTIVAL WILL ENABLE THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY HALL QUICKLY TO ESTABLISH ITSELF AS A FOCAL POINT FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN NORTH KOWLOON.

+NOW THINK YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE BAPTIST COLLEGE ITSELF. I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANXIETY ABOUT ITS FUTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GREEN PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.

J.

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/+PLEASE REMEMBER ...