XN000022-1978-08-02 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1978

+

K. HUANG'S PROPOSALS FOR A TWO-TIERED STRUCTURE OF COURSES IN THE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES FOLLOWING ON FROM OUR FIVE-YEAR SECONDARY COURSE WHICH LEADS TO THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION HAVE VERY REAL POSSIBILITIES.

+THE QUESTION OF DEGREE GRANTING, I HAVE ALREADY SAID, SHOULD BE A MATTER FOR MUCH WIDER DELIBERATION IN THE FUTURE..

MR. TOPLEY NOTED THAT AD HOC GROUP HAD ADVOCATED GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION.

+THEY RIGHTLY SEE OUR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AS AN ESSENTIAL SAFETY VALVE IN OUR SYSTEM IN THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY OFFER FOR RETRIEVAL, HE SAID. +AS SOME MEMBERS HAVE ALSO POINTED OUT, ADULT EDUCATION CAN, THROUGH PROVISION OF PRACTICAL AND VOCATIONAL COURSES, ASSIST IN OUR BUILDING UP OF A SKILLED, ADAPTABLE LABOUR FORCE. IT CAN ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN REDUCING THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAN GROW AMONG THE UNOCCUPIED.

+THE CASE, THEREFORE, FOR CENTRAL CONTROL OR, AT LEAST CLOSE LIAISON AMONG THE MANY DIFFERENT BODIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE)

ATE INVOLVED IN ADULT OR CONTINUING EDUCATION IS A STRONG ONE.

+THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED A LIAISON COMMITTEE ON PART-TIME EDUCATION, WITH REPRESENTATION OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC,+

MR. TOPLEY DISAGREED WITH MISS KO SIU-WAN'S SUGGESTION THAT THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR HAD AGAIN BEEN NEGLECTED IN THE GREEN PAPER.

*THE GREEN PAPER STATES THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER THE NEED TO ASSIST THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WITH SELECTED ACTIVITIES NOT ALREADY COVERED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S OWN SERVICES, HE SAID.

→IN DECIDING WHICH SERVICES THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR IS BEST PLACED TO CARRY OUT, ACCOUNT WILL BE TAKEN OF THE SPEC IF IC TRADITIONS, INTERESTS, AND OPERATING STANDARDS OF THE ORGANISATIONS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE.

AN IMPORTANT CRITERION WILL BE THEIR ABILITY TO MEET REAL COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THE FIELD OF ADULT OR CONTINUING EDUCATION.

COMMENTING ON A PROPOSAL BY MR, CHARLES YEUNG THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BE ENLARGED IN SIZE AND SCOPE TO DEAL WITH THE FULL SPECTRUM OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FROM NURSERY TO UNIVERSITY AND THAT AN OVERALL REVIEW OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM BE CARRIED OUT, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE LATTER SUGGESTION IS ONE TO WHICH CONSIDERATION IS ALREADY BEING GIVEN IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND IN THE GOVERNMENT.

RATION

IF THIS IS FINALLY