XN000022-1979-11-01 — Page 5

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1,

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TO BRING ABOUT A CLIMATE OF TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, BOTH GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AND GOVERNMENT DECISION- MAKING PROCESSES SHOULD BE OPEN TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ONLY LISTEN TO THE ADVICE IT RECEIVES FROM THE PUBLIC BUT SHOULD ALSO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED OF ITS REASONS WHEN IT DOES NOT TAKE THAT ADVICE, HE SAID.

HE FELT THAT IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, ALTHOUGH VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PUBLIC, SUCH AS FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, HAVE BEEN SEEN TO AFFECT DECISIONS MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT, THERE HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT CONSULTATION ABOUT THE METHODS IN WHICH THESE DECISIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED AND ABOUT CONSEQUENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.

+THE COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY WELCOME A REVIEW OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN ITS ENTIRETY, RATHER THAN ON A PIEÇEMEAL BASIS, AND NOW, RATHER THAN WHEN WE HAVE BEEN OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS, HE SAID.

HE LISTED SOME OF THE ISSUES WHICH HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES TEACHER TRAINING, CURRICULA, AND THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION SYSTEM, ALL OF WHICH ARE INTERRELATED.

HE COMMENDED THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT IT HAS GIVEN TO THE POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES, WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN PROVIDED WITH A SOUND FINANCIAL BASIS AND WILL AFFORD FURTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH FORM LEAVERS.

HE SUGGESTED THAT AT THIS STAGE WHAT IS NEEDED IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM OF PERIODIC REVIEW OF REGISTRATION: TO SCRUTINISE STANDARDS, TO ENSURE THAT THESE ARE CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED BY COLLEGES ALREADY REGISTERED, AND POSSIBLY ALSO TO EXAMINE THE CLAIMS WHICH OTHER INSTITUTIONS MIGHT MAKE FROM TIME TO TIME FOR SIMILAR RECOGNITION.

HE NOTED THAT THE NEW SCHEME FOR POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES ALSO PROVIDES THAT THEY MAY OFFER THEIR ABLER STUDENTS UP TO FIVE YEARS OF FULL-TIME EDUCATION BEYOND THE O-LEVEL STAGE,

THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE POLYTECHNIC'S MOUNTING A LIMITED DEGREE PROGRAMME IN AREAS NOT ALREADY COVERED IN HONG KONG, WILL MEAN INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION UP TO DEGREE LEVEL, HE SAID.

IN ORDER THAT STUDENTS IN THESE INSTITUTIONS CAN BE ASSURED OF THE STANDARD OF THEIR EDUCATION AND FULL RECOGNITION OF THE EDUCATION LEVEL THEY WILL ATTAIN, GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOW BE LOOKING INTO THE INTRODUCTION OF A SYSTEM OF VALIDATION FOR THE COURSES AND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH DEGREES MAY BE CONFERRED, HE SAID. WHATEVER BODY THAT MAY BE SET UP FOR THESE PURPOSES MUST HAVE COMPLETE COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE.

HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WITH THE INCREASING GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE ECONOMY, MORE OPEN CONTACT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND AVENUES OF INFORMED OPINION SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITIES, SO THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC POLICIES CAN BE EVALUATED AS THOROUGHLY AS POSSIBLE.

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