XN000022-1978-07-06 — Page 6

THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1978

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MRS, KWAN KO SIU-WAH ALSO THOUGHT IT VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN A GENERAL EDUCATION AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL, BOTH IN THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS AND THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AS ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEM WILL HAVE THE CHANCE OF A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.

ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE THOUGHT UNDESIRABLE AT PRESENT ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND EDUCATION GROUNDS TO PROVIDE SUBSIDISED SENIOR SECONDARY PLACES FOR ALL STUDENTS, SHE THOUGHT UNIVERSAL SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION SHOULD BE THE LONG-TERM AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT.

SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES TO BE AVAILABLE IN POST FORM V COURSES WHICH SHE THOUGHT WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS AS HONG KONG ADVANCES TO A MORE DEVELOPED STAGE OF INDUSTRIALISATION WITH A CORRESPONDING DEMAND FOR A HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL IN THE LABOUR FORCE.

THE CURRICULA FOR THE SIXTH FORM, BOTH ONE YEAR AND TWO YEAR COURSES, SHOULD BE COMPLETE IN THEMSELVES AND THERE SHOULD BE ONE JOINT MATRICULATION EXAMINATION, EVEN THOUGH THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY MAY RETAIN ITS FOUR-YEAR COURSES.

SHE FULLY AGREED WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID RECENTLY, THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO DESIGN AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THAT ANY PLAN WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE A PROPER USE OF THE REGISTERED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES WOULD BE WASTING VALUABLE ASSETS.

SHE SUPPORTED THE VIEWS OF DR. THE HON. RAYSON HUANG ON THE NEED FOR POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES TO OFFER TWO OR FOUR YEAR COURSES AFTER FIFTH FORM LEVEL AND URGED THAT THE QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINABLE ON COMPLETION OF THESE COURSES BE TRANSFERABLE WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

SINCE A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS WILL NOW PROCEED TO THE SIXTH FORM, SHE THOUGHT THOSE ENTERING COLLEGES OF EDUCATION SHOULD HAVE ATTAINED MATRICULATION STANDARD. PART-TIME COURSES FOR UNTRAINED SERVING TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION AND REFRESHER COURSES, AS WELL AS COURSES IN SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WOULD ALSO BE DESIRABLE.

AS TO ADULT EDUCATION, SHE REGRETTED THAT THERE IS A LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, BOTH WITH REGARD TO QUALITY AND SCOPE, AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO FIRM COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT.

HON. T.S. LO: DEVELOP FULL POTENTIAL OF INTELLIGENT YOUNG PEOPLE

THE HON. T.S. LO DEPLORED THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN HONG KONG FOR INTELLIGENT YOUNG PEOPLE AND WARNED OF THE CONSEQUENCES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ONLY 2.5 PER CENT OF THOSE IN PRIMARY 6 TODAY-WILL HAVE A CHANCE OF GOING TO A LOCAL UNIVERSITY,

/ACCORDINGLY