XN000022-1978-07-06 — Page 13

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THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1978

E POINTED OUT THAT THE GREEN PAPER, LIKE THE 1974 WHITE PAPER, COVERS ONLY ONE SECTOR OF THE OVERALL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ARE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE.

MR. YEUNG ALSO ASKED FOR A REORGANISATION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEAL CENTRALLY WITH THE FULL SPECTRUM OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE PRESENT DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY, WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT LOOKING AFTER NURSERY SCHOOLS; THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AFTER THE PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC BEING AUTONOMOUS BODIES.

ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, MR. YEUNG THOUGHT THAT FULL OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE ACCORDING TO THE WISHES OF STUDENTS AND THE IR PARENTS AS LONG AS THE FULL EDUCATION BILL IS BORNE BY THEM AND NOT BY THE PUBLIC.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HE SAID, THE SAME OPPORTUNITY SHOULD NOT BE DENIED TO OTHER WORTHWHILE STUDENTS FOR WANT OF FINANCE, LEST THE COMMUNITY SHOULD SUFFER AS A WHOLE.

HE SUGGESTED THEREFORE THAT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, SUCH STUDENTS SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH TUITION FEES, LIVING AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE AND, IN CASES OF HARDSHIP, SPECIAL PAYMENTS TO HELP THEM SUPPORT THE IR FAMILIES.

IN SUCH CASES, HOWEVER, THE CHOICE OF STUDY WOULD HAVE TO BE GUIDED, IF NOT DICTATED, BY THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY, HAVING REGARD TO THE INDIVIDUAL INCL INATIONS AND APTITUDES OF THE STUDENTS CONCERNED.

ACCORDINGLY, MR. YEUNG THOUGHT THAT PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE NOT SUBVENTED BY PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED AND BE ALLOWED TO AWARD ACADEMIC DEGREES, TO EASE THE DEMAND ON SUBVENTED INSTITUTIONS AND UNIVERSITIES SO THAT THERE CAN BE MORE PLACES FOR STUDENTS COMING FROM FAMILIES WITH MODEST MEANS.

HE WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON STUDENTS OF HAVING TO RECEIVE A GENERAL EDUCATION IN TWO LANGUAGES, ENGLISH AND CHINESE.

INADEQUATE TIME IS AVAILABLE FOR BOTH, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE HOME WORK AND THE NEED FOR PRIVATE TUITION, AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER OBJECTIVES OF GENERAL EDUCATION, SUCH AS MOULDING OF THE STUDENT'S CHARACTER, FOSTERING OF HIS SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS, BUILDING UP OF HIS BODY AND CULTIVATION OF HIS APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE.

ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION MR. YEUNG SUGGESTED IS TO CONCENTRATE ON ONE. LANGUAGE ONLY. IN ANY EVENT, HE THOUGHT A FULL EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUE IS URGENTLY NEEDED.

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