XN000022-1982-01-06 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1982

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VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL

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A BILL TO ESTABLISH THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WHICH WILL CO-ORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE WENT THROUGH A SECOND READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION, THE HON KENNETH TOPLEY, SAID THE COUNCIL, AS ENVISIONED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL BILL, 1982, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR ADVISORY FUNCTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE PRESENT HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL BUT ALSO FOR THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION OF ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRES.

HE ADDED THAT THE AIM OF THE COUNCIL WOULD BE TO UPGRADE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND THEREBY STRENGTHEN THE INDUSTRIAL BASE.

+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AN EDUCATED AND TRAINED LABOUR FORCE IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG, HE SAID.

NOTING THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN CONCEPT BETWEEN EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND THAT BOTH ELEMENTS WERE EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPING THE SKILLS OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE LABOUR FORCE, MR TOPLEY SAID + IT SEEMS RIGHT, THEREFORE, THAT THERE SHOULD BE ARRANGEMENTS FOR JOINT PLANNING AND OVERSIGHT OF BOTH ELEMENTS AND THIS BILL PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THIS RESULT.+

THE PROPOSALS EMBODIED IN THE BILL CAME FROM TWO SOURCES: THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION AND THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

MR TOPLEY ALSO MOVED THE SECOND READING OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, WHICH PROVIDES FOR TWO AMENDMENTS.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT WOULD ENABLE THE COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC +TO DELEGATE ANY OF ITS POWERS AND DUTIES TO ANY COMMITTEE WHICH IT APPOINTS, SUBJECT TO ANY RESTRICTIONS OR CONDITIONS WHICH THE COUNCIL LAYS DOWN AND TO CERTAIN IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS BEING EXCLUDED FROM THIS POWER OF DELEGATION.-

THE SECOND AMENDMENT WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE DIRECTOR TO DELEGATE TO ANY PERSON OR COMMITTEE ANY OF HIS POWERS AND DUTIES, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN DELEGATED TO HIM BY THE COUNCIL,+ MR TOPLEY REPORTED.

HE NOTED THAT UNDER THE PRESENT ORDINANCE, THERE IS PROVISION FOR THE COUNCIL TO DELEGATE TO THE DIRECTOR ANY OF ITS POWERS, BUT NOT FOR THE FURTHER DELEGATION OF THESE POWERS BY THE DIRECTOR TO ANY OF HIS STAFF.+

DEBATE ON THE BILLS WAS ADJOURNED.

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