XN000022-1982-06-28 — Page 3

MONDAY, JUNE 28, 1982'

SECOND POLYTECHNIC APPROVED

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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT, FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND THE ADVICE OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE HAD BEEN GIVEN FOR A SECOND POLYTECHNIC TO BE BUILT AS PART OF AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS WOULD BE MADE LATER ON.

THE NEW POLYTECHNIC WILL BE DESIGNED FOR 8 000 FULL-TIME AND EQUIVALENT PART-TIME STUDENTS WITH POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT TO CATER FOR 13 500 STUDENTS IF WARRANTED BY DEMAND. SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN THE LATER 1980S, THE NEW POLYTECHNIC WILL PROVIDE BOTH DEGREE AND NON-DEGREE COURSES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID INVESTIGATION OF SUITABLE SITES FOR THE NEW INSTITUTION WAS UNDER WAY AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT A DECISION ON ITS LOCATION WOULD BE TAKEN LATER THIS YEAR.

A PLANNING COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF THE EXISTING HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC COUNCIL AND UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR S.Y. CHUNG, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC COUNCIL, WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN THE INTERIM TO UNDERTAKE PRELIMINARY PLANNING WORK. THIS IS TO ENABLE THE NEW POLYTECHNIC TO BENEFIT FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC COUNCIL DURING THE PLANNING STAGES. ARRANGEMENTS WILL ALSO BE MADE FOR THE PLANNING COMMITTEE TO BE SERVICED BY STAFF OF THE EXISTING POLYTECHNIC,

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE VIEWS OF THE UPGC WOULD BE SOUGHT ON THE PROPOSALS MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE NEW POLYTECHNIC.

NT SWIMMING POOLS OPENING EARLIER

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RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE KWAI SHING AND SHA TIN SWIMMING POOLS EARLIER IN THE MORNING STARTING FROM JULY 1 WHEN THEIR OPENING HOURS ARE ADVANCED TO 6.30 AM EVERY DAY UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

+THIS ARRANGEMENT IS BEING MADE TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR USE OF SWIMMING FACILITIES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS,+ HE EXPLAINED.

+PUBLIC RESPONSE TO SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS AT THE TWO SWIMMING POOLS LAST YEAR WAS VERY ENCOURAGING, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

MEANWHILE, THE STARTING HOURS OF THE FANLING SWIMMING POOL REMAINS AT 7 AM DAILY.