XN000022-1980-03-27 — Page 20

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1980

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CALL FOR CENTRALISED TRAINING SCHEME

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A CENTRALISED TRAINING SCHEME SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE TRAINED MANPOWER ONE OF HONG KONG'S MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON ALLEN LEE WHO SAID THE DEMAND FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECTS IS EVIDENCED IN THE FINDINGS OF THE MANPOWER SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE TRAINING COUNCIL.

+AS FAR BACK AS MARCH 1978, THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL HAD PROPOSED TO GOVERNMENT THE URGENT INTRODUCTION OF A CENTRALISED TRAINING SCHEME AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR IT TO MATERIAL ISE.

+RECENTLY THE REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION EMPHASISED AGAIN THAT SUCH A SCHEME IS ESSENTIAL.

+

NOTING THAT HONG KONG'S FUTURE DEPENDS ON ITS ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE, MR LEE SAID PRESSURE FROM THE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES TO RESTRICT TRADE WOULD CONTINUE.

TO COMBAT THIS TREND, HE SAID, WE ARE IN URGENT NEED TO BROADEN OUR PRODUCTS AND EXPAND OUR MARKETS+.

MOREOVER, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OTHER PRODUCTS SUCH AS PLASTICS AND ELECTRONICS WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO TRADE RESTRICTIONS IN THE FUTURE.

+FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRY AND OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, I URGE THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO PROCRASTINATE ANY LONGER AND GIVE THE TRAINING COUNCIL THE GREEN LIGHT TO IMPLEMENT ITS RECOMMMENDATION, HE SAID.

ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION, MR LEE SAID HE WAS ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF PLANNED PLACES FOR THE 1979-80 ACADEMIC YEAR WAS NOT FILLED DUE TO DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING TEACHING STAFF.

THIS MEANS, HE CONTINUED, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DEPRIVED 1 100 FULL-TIME AND 2 900 PART-TIME STUDENTS OF THE CHANCE TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSIFYING OUR INDUSTRY AND THE TREMENDOUS SHORTAGE OF TECHNICAL PERSONNEL, HE ASKED WHETHER THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WOULD GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE PLANNED PLACE OF FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME DAY COURSES IN 1980-81 WOULD BE MET.

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