XN000022-1984-11-08 — Page 15

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1984

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THESE 5 400 ORGANISATIONS, SERVING A POPULATION OF 3.4 MILLION, THOUGH PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH MANAGEMENT OF THEIR BUILDINGS, PROVIDED A MEANS THROUGH WHICH THE ORDINARY CITIZEN AND FAMILY LIVING ALONE, COULD COMMUNICATE THE IR FEARS, HOPES AND WORRIES THROUGH THEIR COMMITTEES TO THE AREA COMMITTEES AND TO THE DISTRICT BOARD.

MR AKERS-JONES TOLD COUNCIL HE WOULD TRY TO DEVISE A SYSTEM FOR FORMAL PERIODIC MEETINGS OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS OF THEIR AREA COMMITTEES,

THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE AREA COMMITTEES COULD ALSO BE MADE MORE EFFECTIVE BY MEANS OF REGULAR PERIODIC MEETINGS AND POSSIBLY AN ELEMENT OF OVERLAPPING MEMBERSHIP, HE ADDED.

ON THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY CENTRE FACILITIES, MR AKERS-JONES SAID THAT IDEALLY EACH DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE ITS SHARE OF FACILITIES, COMMUNITY CENTRES AND SO ON.

THIS WAS BEING ATTEMPTED IN THE NEW TOWNS, HE SAID, BUT IN THE OLDER URBAN AREA IT WAS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO FIND SITES FOR THE...

+WITH REGARD TO THE STANDARD TO WHICH THEY ARE BUILT, THIS IS BEING REVIEWED AND I HOPE TO PRESENT PROPOSALS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN A FEW WEEKS TIME, HE SAID.

EDUCATION SYSTEM TO CONTINUE

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HONG KONG'S PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE AFTER 1997 AND THIS IS AS MUCH IN CHINA'S AS THE TERRITORY'S INTEREST, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE DRAFT AGREEMENT HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUE, HE SAID, AND HE QUOTED FROM THE DOCUMENT TO BACK UP THIS POINT.

+NATURALLY, OUR EDUCATION POLICY WHICH INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING WILL NOT REMAIN STATIC BUT EVOLVE, SAID MR HENDERSON.

THE VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY BODIES WOULD PROVIDE ADVICE TO ENSURE THE SYSTEM WOULD MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE FUTURE AND WOULD KEEP PACE WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS.

MR HENDERSON OUTLINED THE EXPANSION THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE PROVISION OF EVENING PLACES IN THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL'S TECHNICAL INSTITUTES. AT PRESENT THERE ARE 25 000 PART-TIME EVENING PLACES, THIS WILL RISE TO OVER 30 000 IN 1986-87 AND TO OVER 36 000 IN 1987-88 AS NEW FACILITIES ARE COMPLETED.

ON THE