XN000022-1979-11-15 — Page 18

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979

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COMMENTING ON THE SUGGESTION THAT HONG KONG SHOULD NOW SWITCH TO THE TEACHING OF PUTUNGHUA HE SAID THE USE OF THIS AS THE SPEECH OF INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS WAS AN OPTION OPEN TO SCHOOL SPONSORS AND THAT AT LEAST ONE AIDED PRIMARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPLEX HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR SOME TIME.

*THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WILL CERTAINLY NOT STAND IN THE WAY OF OTHER SCHOOLS WISHING TO FOLLOW SUIT, HE SAID.

+HOWEVER, I MUST OBSERVE THAT WITH NORMAL SPEECH IN THE HOME, AT PLAY, AT WORK AND IN THE MARKET PLACE REMAINING CANTONESE, THE USE OF PUTUNGHUA AT SCHOOL IS NOT LIKELY TO INCREASE OUR STUDENTS' FLUENCY IN COMMUNICATION, HE ADDED.

SPEAKING ON THE ABSENCE OF PROVISION FOR AN ADMINISTRATION ALLOWANCE PAYABLE TO SPONSORING BODIES, MR. HO SAID THIS WAS DUE TO TWO BASIC CONSIDERATION. THESE ARE 1

*

THE CODES OF AID ARE GROUND RULES FOR THE PAYMENT OF GRANTS TO INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS THE GRANTS ARE NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF SPONSORING BODIES, AND

* WHEN THESE RULES WERE FIRST DRAWN UP THE PRIVATE FUNDS

OF SPONSORS WERE NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT SCRUTINY, OR AUDIT BY THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT.

+AS THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT NOW HAS THIS RIGHT OF ACCESS TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THE SPONSORS, TO THIS EXTENT THERE IS SOME MATERIAL CHANGE IN THE POSITION WHICH MAY MERIT A RECONSIDERATION OF THE OVERALL COST OF ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOLS, HE SAID.

+IN SAYING THIS, HE ADDED +1 MUST STRESS THAT WHAT REMA I NS UNCHANGED IS THAT OUR GRANTS ARE CALCULATED FOR THE SUPPORT OF AND SHOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR, THE OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF

INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.

ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID, WHAT MAY BE NEEDED WAS AN ARRANGEMENT PERMITTING THE ADMINISTRATION GRANT FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOLS WITHIN A GROUP TO BE CHANNELED INTO A COMMON POOL.

THIS AND OTHER MATTERS WILL BE CAREFULLY LOOKED INTO IN THE CURRENT REVIEW OF THE CODES OF AID BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HE POINTED OUT.

ON THE SUGGESTION TO ADAPT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY IDEA IN HONG KONG, MR. HO QUOTED A CONCLUSION IN THE 1977 GREEN PAPER WHICH STATED THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL WOULD BE BEYOND OUR CAPACITY TO SUPPLY AND, THIS REMAINS THE PRESENT POSITION.+

REGARDING PART TIME DEGREE COURSES, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS ASKED THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE TO INVITE THE UNIVERSITIES TO PREPARE PROPOSALS FOR CONSIDERATION.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT ENVISAGED THESE COURSES TO BE DESIGNED MAINLY FOR MATURE STUDENTS WITH A COMBINED TOTAL OF ABOUT 1 000 STUDENTS ENROLLED BY THE MID-1980'S.

/HE ALSO