XN000022-1985-02-08 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1985

HE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S FIRST REPORT AND ONE OF THESE WAS TO BUILD 35 ADDITIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT DECADE.

+IT WILL OF COURSE BE THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM TO ENSURE THAT THESE SCHOOLS MEET LOCAL AND DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS,+ HE SAID.

THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION CONCERNED THE PHASING OUT OF THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM IN 1991, THROUGH A PROGRESSIVE EXPANSION OF SUBSIDIZED FULL-TIME POST-FORM ||| EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

+THE EDUCATION WE PROVIDE MUST BE OF A GOOD QUALITY IF IT IS TO MEET THE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

+THIS IS WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO INVEST IN A BUILDING PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE THE SCHOOL.PLACES NECESSARY FOR THE GRADUAL PHASING OUT OF THE JSEA, RATHER THAN BUYING. FORM IV PLACES IN PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ON A LARGE SCALE WITHOUT REGARD TO QUALITY, SIR EDWARD SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE NEW SCHOOL WAS THE THIRD GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL TO BE ESTABLISHED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, AND PAID TRIBUTE TO THE KUK FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROJECT.

THE FIRST TWO OF THE THREE SCHOOLS, NTHYK YUEN LONG DISTRICT SECONDARY SCHOOL AND NTHYK TAI PO DISTRICT SECONDARY SCHOOL WERE BUILT IN 1968 AND 1981 RESPECTIVELY. THE FORMER WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED BY THE FORMER GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID TRENCH, ON JANUARY 23, 1969 AND THE LATTER BY THE PRESENT.GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, ON MAY 7, 1984.

+ IT REPRESENTS ONE MORE STEP IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR SECONDARY EDUCATION FACILITIES, IN PARTICULAR IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID HE HAD NOTED THE KUK'S ANXIETY ABOUT ITS INTERESTS IN BEING REPRESENTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+WHEN THE REVIEW IS CARRIED OUT IN 1987, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE FURTHER THE POINTS THE KUK HAS MADE TOGETHER WITH OTHER REPRESENTATIONS, IN THE LIGHT OF CIRCUMSTANCES THEN PREVAILING, HE SAID.

EARLIER, THE GOVERNOR TOURED MUI WO WHERE HE WAS BRIEFED ON DEVELOPMENTS BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR WILLIAM YAP AND THE GOVERNMENT ENGINEER OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, MR NG YEE-YUM.

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