XN000022-1984-12-14 — Page 9

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1984

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DECISION SOON ON BAPTIST COLLEGE DIPLOMA, GOVERNOR SAYS

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A DECISION WOULD BE REACHED SOON ON THE SUBJECT OF RECOGNITION OF THE BAPTIST COLLEGE HONOURS DIPLOMA FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, WAS CONSCIOUS OF, AND UNDERSTOOD, THE CONCERN ON THE SUBJECT AND HAD BEEN DISCUSSING IT.

+ THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE WILL BE CONSULTED ON THIS SUBJECT SOON. A DECISION ON THE STANDING OF THE DIPLOMA SHOULD BE REACHED BEFORE LONG, SIR EDWARD SAID.

NG SHU

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE COLLEGE'S FONG SHU CHUEN LIBRARY THIS AFTERNOON, SIR EDWARD SAID ALSO THAT EDUCATION WAS AN ISSUE OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

WITHOUT A WELL-EDUCATED WORKING POPULATION POSSESSING THE NECESSARY INDUSTRIAL, TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, HONG KONG WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ITS PLACE IN THIS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WORLD, HE SAID.

IT MUST ALSO MAINTAIN THE GREAT ADVANTAGE IT ENJOYED OF

BIL INGUAL ISM IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE.

+THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES THROUGH EDUCATION IS SOMETHING TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED AND WILL REMAIN SO IN THE FUTURE,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

WELCOMING THE COLLEGE'S AIM OF ENCOURAGING +SELF-LEARNING+, AND +LIFE-LEARNING+, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THEY WERE WORTHY OBJECTIVĒS.

WE ARE LIVING IN A FAST CHANGING WORLD. IF THERE IS NOT A CONSTANT EFFORT BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, AND INDEED BEYOND FORMAL EDUCATION, TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE, STUDENTS IN OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WILL LAG BEHIND THE IR COUNTERPARTS IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.

+THOSE WHO GO THROUGH THE PORTALS OF HIGHER EDUCATION MUST THEREFORE BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO LEARN AND IMPROVE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, HE SAID.

A GOOD LIBRARY, HE SAID, WAS AN ESSENTIAL FEATURE OF ANY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, AND HE WAS GLAD THAT THE BAPTIST COLLEGE HAD BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SUCH A LIBRARY THROUGH SOME VERY GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ONE FROM THE FONG SHU FOOK TONG FOUNDATION, AFTER WHOSE FOUNDER THE LIBRARY WAS NAMED, HE SAID.

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