XN000022-1978-12-09 — Page 2

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1978

INTEGRATED POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM

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THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR. E.P. HO, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THE TIME HAD COME TO DESIGN AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION WHICH WOULD HAVE DIVERS IF IED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, MEET THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AND SOCIETY, AND BE WITHIN THE MEANS TO PROVIDE.

SPEAKING AT THE BAPTIST COLLEGE'S 19TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY MR. HO SAID IT WAS THIS GENERAL INTENT WHICH HAD BEEN TRANSLATED INTO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.

THESE PROPOSALS WOULD ENABLE THE COMMUNITY ASSETS REPRESENTED BY THE BAPTIST COLLEGE AND THE OTHER TWO APPROVED POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES IF THEY TOO ELECTED TO ACCEPT THE GOVERNMENT'S AID SCHEME TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS MEETING GOVERNMENT'S EXPANSION TARGETS ABOVE FORM V LEVEL.

+OUR AIM FOR THE BAPTIST COLLEGE IS THAT THE GOOD WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING TO DATE LARGELY ON YOUR OWN (EXCEPT FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE FREE GRANT OF LAND FOR YOUR CAMPUS, LOW INTEREST LOANS TOTALLING $2.3 MILLION, AND A LIMITED STUDENT LOAN SCHEME) MAY BE STRENGTHENED WITH ANNUALLY RECURRENT GRANTS TO EASE YOUR DAY TO DAY WORRIES, SO THAT YOUR STANDARDS MAY BE FURTHER IMPROVED, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE RETENTION OF SUITABLE STAFF,+ MR. HO SAID.

+THIS REFERENCE TO IMPROVING STANDARDS IS NOT INTENDED AS ANY DISRESPECT TO YOU GRADUATES WE ARE HERE TO HONOUR TODAY. BUT RATHER THAT YOU, AS EDUCATED MEN AND WOMEN, WOULD WISH AND EXPECT THOSE WHO COME AFTER YOU TO ATTAIN GREATER HEIGHTS THAN YOURSELVES- BECAUSE THIS IS THE MEASURE OF PROGRESS FOR YOUR ALMA MATER, + HE ADDED.

MR. HO SAID THE GRADUATES WOULD BE AWARE THAT AS PART OF THE PACKAGE PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT THE BAPTIST COLLEGE WAS ASKED TO RESTRUCTURE ITS COURSES.

+WE ARE ASKING THE COLLEGE TO ATTEMPT THIS RESTRUCTURING TO PROVIDE TWO-YEAR COURSES AT THE SIXTH-FORM LEVEL AND FURTHER TWO-YEAR COURSES LEADING TO PROFESSIONAL OR OTHER VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE, FOR IT IS IN THESE AREAS THAT SHORTFALLS EXIST OR MIGHT OTHERWISE ARISE.-

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALSO FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE COLLEGE'S DESIRE TO PROVIDE A FURTHER ONE-YEAR COURSE FOR STUDENTS COMPLETING THE SECOND OF THE TWO-YEAR COURSES AND HAVING DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO PROCEED TO A HIGHER AWARD.

IT RAISED NO OBJECTION TO THE COLLEGE DOING THIS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF ITS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS UNABLE TO OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THIS FIFTH YEAR BECAUSE ITS TARGETS AT THIS LEVEL ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO BE MET BY OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS.

MR. HO SAID