XN000022-1982-02-10 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1982

+IF FOR THESE AND VARIOUS OTHER REASONS THEY DO NOT GO INTO A UNIVERSITY, IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, HE SAID. IN FACT MANY WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN AND LEARNED A TRADE, WOULD LEAD A SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY LIFE.

+THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO CLIMB UP THE SOCIAL LADDER ARE EQUAL IN A FREE SOCIETY LIKE HONG KONG, AND MANY AN ENTERPRISING INDUSTRIAL ISTS TODAY WERE BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS, WHO HAD WORKED THE IR WAY FROM THE RANKS TO THE TOP.+

MR CHAN THOUGHT THAT VOCATIONAL TRAINING BENEFITS SOCIETY AS A WHOLE BY PROVIDING THE MEANS TO EMPLOYMENT, STABILITY AND AFFLUENCE.

+DO WE REQUIRE HOUSING, TRANSPORT, CATERING, CLOTHING, REPAIR AND OTHER SERVICES?+ HE ASKED. +THESE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE ARE CATERED FOR AND MAINTAINED MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS A RESULT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING.+

HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE SUPPLEMENTED BY AN APPROPRIATE INJECTION OF CONCEPTS ON COMMUNITY SPIRIT, CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, SO AS TO PRODUCE SKILFUL AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.

THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY INTO THE COST ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW DEPARTMENT AS DESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION WHEN HE INTRODUCED THE BILL.

+ IF A NEW DEPARTMENT DOES COST MORE BUT DOES NOT BRING WITH IT THE DESIRED ADDITIONAL BENEFITS COMMENSURATE WITH THE ADDITIONAL COST, OR WORSE STILL, AS MR S.L. CHEN HAD ALREADY SUGGESTED, IF HAVING A NEW DEPARTMENT WOULD BE LIABLE TO HINDER PROGRESS OF THE VTC TOWARDS THE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IT REQUIRES, THEN IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO EMBARK ON SUCH A VENTURE HASTILY, HE ARGUED.

+AFTER ALL, IN THE LIGHT OF THE PRESENT FORECAST OF PROLONGED UNFAVOURABLE WORLD ECONOMIC CLIMATE, ANY DEGREE OF GROWTH IN THE RATE OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE MUST BE WATCHED VERY CAREFULLY AND WEIGHED AGAINST ALL OTHER POSSIBLE COST-SAVING OPTIONS SO THAT THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF ANY NEW VENTURE MUST NOT BE LOST SIGHT OF.+

MR CHEONG SAID HE BELIEVED THE FUTURE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE VTC WILL DEPEND TO A LARGE EXTENT ON THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, THEREFORE, THAT THE PERSON APPOINTED TO THE POST MUST HAVE CONSIDERABLE PROFESSIONAL STATURE AND BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP REQUIRED, HE SAID.

+HE NEEDS TO BE A WELL-QUALIFIED SPECIALIST AND MUST HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN BOTH TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

+ INDEED UNLESS HE IS THUS QUALIFIED, HE WILL HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE IN HARNESSING THE EFFORTS OF ALL CONCERNED TO FULFILL THE TREMENDOUS HOPES OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, MR CHEONG SAID.