XN000022-1984-09-24 — Page 10

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1984

THERE WAS A GROWING DEMAND IN HONG KONG FOR COMPUTER PERSONNEL AT ALL LEVELS. THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC OFFERED DEGREE COURSES IN COMPUTER STUDIES, AND THE POLYTECHNIC ALSO OFFERED HIGHER DIPLOMA COURSES IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND SYSTEMS ANALYSIS. AND THE CITY POLYTECHNIC WAS ALREADY OFFERING A PROFESSIONAL COURSE IN COMPUTER STUDIES AND A HIGHER DIPLOMA COURSE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS. COMPUTER COURSES WERE ALSO OFFERED BY OTHER TECHNICAL INSTITUTES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, A SCHEME WAS UNDERWAY TO PUT MICRO COMPUTERS INTO EVERY PUBLIC SECTOR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HONG KONG. SO FAR 105 SCHOOLS HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH OVER 1 100 MICRO COMPUTERS.

+EVERY EFFORT IS, ACCORDINGLY, BEING MADE BY THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED TO PROVIDE AN ASSURED SUPPLY OF TRAINED PERSONNEL, SO THAT OUR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS FIELD WILL NOT BE CONSTRAINED BY A SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE, AT ANY LEVEL, + MR HO SAID.

MR HO SAID THAT WHILE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT GREAT BENEFITS, THEY ALSO BROUGHT NEW PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION, ADAPTATION, AND OF REGULATION OF THE POWER GIVEN BY ACCESS TO EVER LARGER SOURCES OF INFORMATION.

IT WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT HUMAN NEED AND DIGNITY AND THE EFFECT ON THE WORK FORCE WERE NOT OVERLOOKED IN THE PURSUIT OF EVER MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS.

THE CONFERENCE, MR HO SAID, PROVIDED A CHANCE FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE ON THESE MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST

AND CONCERN, AND FOR BETTER REGIONAL CO-OPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING IN THIS IMPORTANT AREA OF TECHNOLOGY.

EARLIER, MR HO HAD EXTENDED THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE'S WELCOME TO THE DELEGATES, AND HIS REGRET THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE OPENING CEREMONY. THE GOVERNOR HAD ALSO CONGRATULATED THE HONG KONG COMPUTER SOCIETY FOR ORGANISING THE CONFERENCE.

/10

Page 10Page 11