XN000022-1983-11-09 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983

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HE ALSO THANKED MR TIEN FOR DRAWING THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SAID THAT THE VOCATION TRAINING COUNCIL WHICH MR TIEN CHAIRED HAD MADE AN EXCELLENT START TO ITS WORK.

MR HENDERSON ALSO REASSURED THE HON ALEX WU THAT THE GOVERNMENT TOOK THE ARTS SERIOUSLY, AND SAID EVIDENCE OF THIS WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, AND THE PLANNED COMMISSIONING OF AN ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN SEPTEMBER 1985, IN ADDITION TO OTHER ACTIVITIES.

DISCUSSING ANOTHER MATTER RAISED BY MR WU, HE SAID THAT THE REPORT OF THE WORK ING PARTY ON THE PROPOSED CHINESE LANGUAGE FOUNDATION WOULD BE SUBMITTED SOON TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

ON THE QUESTION OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, MR HENDERSON SAID HE WAS GLAD THAT THE HON PETER WONG SUPPORTED A THIRD UNIVERSITY WHICH WOULD BE ESSENTIAL IF HONG KONG WERE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE PROPORTION OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE WITH FIRST DEGREE PLACES BEYOND THE MID 1990'S.

+ I SHOULD ADD THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE SITES, AND A SHORT-LIST SHOULD BE DETERMINED QUITE SOON, HE SAID.

HE SAID ALSO THAT THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE HAD BEEN ASKED TO EXAMINE THE NEED FOR, AND THE FEASIBILITY OF. DEVELOPING SUCH OTHER FORMS OF EDUCATION AS AN OPEN UNIVERSITY AND THE EXTENSION OF EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION.

THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION IS, OF COURSE, TO PROVIDE OUR PEOPLE WITH MORE SECOND CHANCES, HE SAID.

MEANWHILE, CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG'S PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE AN EXTERNAL DEGREE PROGRAMME.

A SUGGESTION BY THE HON RITA FAN THAT AN EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT FUND BE SET UP WITH SUITABLE ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PRIVATE DONORS WAS ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING, HE SAID.

MR HENDERSON SAID HE ALSO SHARED THE VIEW EXPRESSED BY THE HON PETER POON THAT HONG KONG SHOULD MAKE AVAILABLE MORE HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

+THIS IS PRECISELY WHY WE ARE PLANNING A CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF OUR TERTIARY EDUCATION SECTOR, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO REHABILITATION, AS RAISED BY DR HO, MR HENDERSON SAID THAT PRESENT PLANNING TARGETS FOR HALF-WAY HOUSES FOR EX-MENTAL PATIENTS WOULD ENABLE GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR PLACES BY 1988.

DEALING WITH LABOUR MATTERS, MR HENDERSON SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO ITS BEST TO BRING THE PROPOSED FUND TO ASSIST WORKERS IN INSOLVENCY INTO THE STATUTE BOOK NEXT YEAR.

HE REFERRED