XN000022-1985-01-23 — Page 17

15

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985

SHE SAID SHE FULLY ENDORSED THE VIEW OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION AS STATED IN REPORT NO. 1 THAT EDUCATION WAS TO PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD.

+ IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HUMAN RESOURCES' IS HONG KONG'S PRINCIPAL ASSET INVESTMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES' IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, + SHE SAID.

ON CIVIC EDUCATION, SHE SAID IT WAS A MATTER OF FOREMOST IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION SHOULD BE PROPERLY INSTILLED WITH A SENSE OF CIVIC AWARENESS.

+I HOPE THE COMMISSION WOULD GIVE PRIORITY TO THIS ISSUE AND DRAW UP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IT WILL SERVE AS A GUIDE-LINE FOR THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, MRS NG SAID.

EARLIER PHASING OUT OF USEA URGED

****

TO PUT THE FINGER ON 1991 AS THE YEAR WHEN PHASING OUT OF THE JSEA WOULD BE ACHIEVED SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE MOVE, THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING ON THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 1, MR YEUNG SAID THAT HE HOPED THE PHASING OUT OF THE SYSTEM MIGHT BE ADVANCED TO AN EARLIER DATE, IF CONDITIONS BECAME MORE FAVOURABLE IN THE FUTURE.

+IN DECIDING WHETHER TO OPT FOR GRADUAL ABOLITION OF THE JSEA OR IMMEDIATE ABOLITION OF THE SYSTEM, WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHICH APPROACH WOULD GO IN LINE WITH OTHER PROGRAMMES OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, HE SAID.

IT WOULD BE IDEAL, OF COURSE, TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS WITHIN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME WITH THE GREATEST EFFICIENCY, HE SAID,

+BUT WOULD IT REALLY BE POSSIBLE TO DO SO?+ HE ASKED.

+WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHETHER WE HAVE ASSESSED THE QUESTION HONESTLY AND IMPARTIALLY, MR YEUNG SAID.

TO COPE WITH HONG KONG'S POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MR YEUNG SAID, THE EDUCATION SYSTEM SHOULD AIM TO EDUCATE THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO BE COMPETENT IN BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH.

+ IF HONG KONG IS TO MAINTAIN ITS INTERNATIONAL POSITION AS A LEADING TRADE AND FINANCIAL CENTRE, BILINGUALISM IS ESSENTIAL,+ HE SAID.

/HOWEVER, THE