XN000022-1979-11-04 — Page 2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1979

INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT SOON ON

APPROVED POST SECONDARY COLLEGES COURSES

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AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE STANDARDS OF COURSES OPERATED BY THE APPROVED POST SECONDARY COLLEGES WILL SOON BE CARRIED OUT, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR KENNETH TOPLEY SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE SHUE YAN COLLEGE HELD AT THE CITY HALL.

APART FROM THE STANDARDS OF THE COURSES, THE ASSESSMENT WILL ALSO LOOK INTO THE DIPLOMAS AWARDED BY THE COLLEGES, MR TOPLEY SAID.

THE ASSESSMENT WAS ONE OF THE PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, WITH THE AIM TO FORM A BASIS FOR COMPARISON WITH COURSES AND DIPLOMAS OFFERED BY THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC,

+ AM SURE THERE IS NO FAIRER WAY TO REACH AN OBJECTIVE EVALUATION, MR TOPLEY SAID.

SPEAKING TO THE GRADUATES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, THE DIRECTOR CAUTIONED THAT THERE WAS NO SHORT-CUT TO FAME, WEALTH OR A SUCCESSFUL AND WORTHWHILE LIFE.

+ IT IS OUR RESOURCEFULNESS, INGENUITY AND INDUSTRY THAT MAKE HONG KONG WHAT IT IS TODAY AND THE ENVY OF MANY IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD, HE SAID,

+1 AM CERTAIN THAT IN SHUE YAN YOU ARE WELL PREPARED BOTH INTELLECTUALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TO ANSWER WHATEVER CHALLENGES YOU HAVE TO FACE IN FUTURE TO TAKE UP THE TASKS OUR COMMUNITY WILL REQUIRE OF YOU,+ MR TOPLEY SAID.

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN WETTER THAN NORMAL

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THE RAINFALL BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER THIS YEAR AMOUNTS TO 2 242.4 MM. THIS IS 17 PER CENT ABOVE NORMAL AND LIES NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE RANGE OF 2 100-2 500 MM WHICH WAS FORECAST BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY LAST FEBRUARY.

THE MAY TO OCTOBER RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS 1976, 77, 78 WERE SIX PER CENT ABOVE, 17 PER CENT BELOW AND NINE PER CENT ABOVE NORMAL RESPECTIVELY.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WERE EXCEPTIONALLY WET WITH RAINFALL 68 PER CENT AND 53 PER CENT ABOVE NORMAL,

BRINGING A TOTAL OF 1 213.2 MM OF RAIN,

/RAINFALL RECORDED