XN000022-1983-11-09 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983

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COMMENTS ON EDUCATION REVIEW BEING ANALYSED

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PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE REPORT +A PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION IN HONG KONG+, WERE BEING ANALYSED AND SHOULD BE READY FOR PRESENTATION TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY.

THE 544 COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM 305 ORGANISATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS CONTAINED +PROBABLY MORE WORDS THAN IN THE BIBLE OR THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE, MR HENDERSON SAID.

THESE INCLUDED 176 DIRECT WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS, 226 NEWS REPORTS OF COMMENTS MADE IN SEMINARS, AND PUBLIC SPEECHES AND 112 EDITORIALS-FEATURE ARTICLES IN ALL, TOTALLING 2 280 PAGES,+ HE SAID.

THE SHEER VOLUME OF COMMENT THAT THE REPORT STIMULATED WOULD CONVINCE ANYONE WHO HAD ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE OVER-RIDING INTEREST OF HONG KONG PEOPLE IN EDUCATION, MR HENDERSON SAID.

+THE NEXT STEP, MR HENDERSON CONTINUED, IS SEEING OUR WAY AS TO HOW THE PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE STRATEGIES IN THE OVERALL REVIEW THAT PROVE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE GOVERNMENT CAN BE ACHIEVED.+

MR HENDERSON SAID THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE CONSULTED 'ON THE BEST MACHINERY TO FURTHER THIS AIM EXPEDITIOUSLY. THE

TIMING, PRIORITY AND BUDGETING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS WERE +ABSOLÚTELY VITAL, MR HENDERSON SAID.

HOWEVER, THE VITAL MATTER OF FINANCING EDUCATION WOULD HAVE TO BE STUDIED IN DETAIL, AND HE WAS NOW CONSIDERING HOW THIS MIGHT BEST BE ACCOMPLISHED, MR HENDERSON SAID.

HE SAID THAT THE OVERALL REVIEW CONTAINED +A SWEET-SHOP FULL OF 'GOODIES' FOR ALL EVEN INCLUDING A FEW ACID-DROPS FOR SOME.+

+BUT GORGE THEM ALL AT ONE GO WE CANNOT, WITHOUT THE MOST DIRE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM,

+AN ORDERLY CONSUMPTION PROGRAMME IS CALLED FOR, AND WE MUST HAVE THE BEST FRAMEWORK IN WHICH TO PREPARE THIS PROGRAMME,+ HE SAID.

MR HENDERSON SAID HE SHARED THE HON FRANCIS TIEN'S CONCERN THAT IT COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO HAVE AN EDUCATION COMMISSION WHOSE INTRODUCTION INTERFERED WITH COORDINATION RATHER THAN

IMPROVED IT.

THE FEASIBILITY OF SMOOTHLY INTERFACING A COMMISSION WITH THE EXISTING CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY WAS BEING GIVEN MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT SO AS TO AVOID SUCH UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES, HE SAID.

/HE ALSO

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