XN000022-1982-10-28 — Page 16

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1982

ADMINISTRATION PRAISED

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THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID TODAY THAT, IN SPITE OF

ALL THE SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR SYSTEM, HONG KONG HAS BEATEN NUMEROUS ODDS TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS AND EFFICIENT COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SHE NOTED THAT A COUPLE OF PROFESSIONALLY CONDUCTED SURVEYS RECENTLY REVEALED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG PREFER THE STATUS QUO.

+THIS I TAKE TO MEAN PREFERENCE FOR NO CHANGE IN THE ENTIRE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, SHE SAID.

+ IT IS THIS STRUCTURE THAT HAS ENABLED US TO IMPROVE OUR STANDARD OF LIVING UNHAMPERED THROUGH A PROCESS OF SELF CRITICISM OVER A SOUND BASE OF SYSTEMATIC MANAGEMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY AN ATMOSPHERE OF SOCIAL STABILITY.

+CREDIT IS DUE TO THE ADMINISTRATION UNDER WHICH THIS STRUCTURE HAS DEVELOPED AND FLOURISHED.

+ IS IT WISE TO CHANGE A PROVEN FORMULA OTHER THAN TO IMPROVE AND REFORM BY PROCESS OF EVOLUTION WHILE MAINTAINING THE BASE AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE SO SUCCESSFULLY BUILT?+ SHE ASKED.

MRS CHOW NOTED THAT THE CHOICE MAY NOT REST TOTALLY WITH US, BUT SHE ADDED LET US, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WHO HAVE VALUED AND RESPECTED THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE ABOVE ALL BE CLEAR IN OUR OWN MINDS WHAT WE REGARD AS THE BEST STATE FOR HONG KONG.+

ONE WAY TO ACHIEVE THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO INVEST VIGOROUSLY IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE IS THROUGH EDUCATION.

AND THE AREA LONG OVERDUE FOR ATTENTION IS THE PRE-PRIMARY SECTION, SHE POINTED OUT.

+ IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT EVERY CHILD FROM FOUR TO SIX IS SUPPOSED TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN, THERE IS AS YET NO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT TO UPGRADE AND REGULATE THE STANDARD OF EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILDREN, SHE SAID.

MRS CHOW NOTED THAT THE WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY AND PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECTS THE ENROLMENT IN KINDERGARTENS TO BE AT

180 000 IN 1984 AND THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS FOR THE SAME YEAR IS EXPECTED TO BE 590, WITH 680 QUALIFIED ASSISTANT KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS.

THIS RATIO IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE SITUATION DEMANDS URGENT EXAMINATION, SHE STRESSED.

/+I THEREFORE