XN000022-1978-07-06 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1978

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MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN : ENCOURAGE VOCATIONAL TRAINING

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN ASKED FOR A CONSCIOUS GOVERNMENT POLICY TO ENHANCE THE SOCIAL STANDING, MENTAL WELL-BEING, AND THE SELF-RESPECT OF THE SKILLED WORKER IN HONG KONG.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE MORE ATTRACTIVE AND REWARDING, AND MORE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVERS WOULD HAVE TO BE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED TO RECEIVE SUCH TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN QUOTED THE EXAMPLE OF JAPAN WHERE THERE IS A NEW TREND TOWARDS VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND WHERE FUTURE CURRICULUM GUIDELINES HAVE JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED PERMITTING SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRAIN STUDENTS IN SUCH FIELDS AS HOTEL MANAGEMENT, HAIR-DRESSING, TOURISM, PHOTOGRAPHY, COOKING, AND EVEN ACTING, BASEBALL PLAYING AND SUMO WRESTLING.

HE DID NOT ADVOCATE THAT WE SHOULD NECESSARILY FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE BUT STRESSED THAT, AS IN JAPAN, WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT OUR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION, AS IT BECOMES MORE UNIVERSAL, +IS FLEXIBLY ADAPTED TO OUR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CIRCUMSTANCES.+

+ IN AIMING AT UNIVERSAL SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION, WE WILL BE PLANNING FOR A HIGHER STANDARD OF KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY- THIS IN TURN WILL EQUIP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO MORE EASILY ADJUST TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE DECADE OF THE 80'S,+ HE SAID.

ON THE ROLE OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, MR. CHEONG-LEEN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MISTAKEN ZEAL TO PRESS IT TO CUT BACK AT THIS TIME ITS FOUR-YEAR DEGREE COURSES. ITS ROLE IS TO FOSTER CHINESE THOUGHT AND CULTURE, AND IT SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO DO SO WITH FLEXIBILITY.

HE SAID IT WAS DISTRESSING THAT THERE IS A PAUCITY OF UP-TO-DATE TEXT-BOOKS IN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE SUITABLE FOR CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND SUGGESTED THAT EDUCATION TELEVISION COULD MAKE UP THE DISINTEREST SHOWN IN THE TEACHING OF MANDARIN, OR P'U-T'UNG HAU, IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT THAT THERE WILL BE A USEFUL AND HONOURABLE ROLE FOR THE APPROVED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES WHEN THE PLANS ARE FINANLISED FOR SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.

HE FELT THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO SET UP A CENTRAL BODY TO BETTER CO-ORDINATE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NON-GOVERNMENT SPONSORED ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES AND TO CREATE A MEANINGFUL LONG-TERM PLAN. GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN THE GREEN PAPER SEEMS TO BE NARROWLY LIMITED TO IMPROVING THE OPERATING STANDARDS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ADULT EDUCATION SECTION, HE SAID.

THE SECOND-RATE +CAPUT+ SCHOOLS WHICH ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS SHOULD BE ABSORBED INTO THE CODE OF AID.

IF, ARISING FROM THE VARIOUS CONSTRUCTIVE PROPOSALS MADE BY THE PUBLIC TO FURTHER EXPAND FACILITIES AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TEACHING, A FURTHER INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE IS CALLED FOR MR. CHEONG-LEEN BELIEVED THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL GO ALONG WITH IT, EVEN IF IT MEANS INCREASES IN TAX RATES.

/DR. HARRY FANG