XN000022-1985-07-13 — Page 6

SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1985

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MORE VIEWS SOUGHT ON OPEN EDUCATION

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THE QUESTION OF OPEN EDUCATION IN HONG KONG IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, AND A MAJOR TOPIC TO BE COVERED BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION IN ITS NEXT REPORT.

BUT A COMMISSION SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THERE WAS +SCOPE FOR MORE PUBLIC COMMENT+ ON OPEN EDUCATION, AND THAT THE COMMISSION HOPED FOR A LARGER RESPONSE THAN IT HAD RECEIVED SO FAR TO ITS CALL A MONTH AGO FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD WITH ITS VIEWS ON HOW IT SHOULD DEVELOP IN HONG KONG.

THE PUBLIC HAS UNTIL THE END OF JULY TO MAKE KNOWN WHAT IT THINKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF OPEN EDUCATION.

OPEN EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR TOPICS WHICH THE COMMISSION INTENDS TO COVER IN ITS SECOND REPORT, THE FIRST REPORT HAVING BEEN PRODUCED IN OCTOBER 1984.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN ITS FIRST REPORT THE COMMISSION HAD GIVEN PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION TO OPEN EDUCATION, STATING THAT +WHILST WE ENDORSE THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT AN OPEN UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG, WE SHALL, IN THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR WORK, EXAMINE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS.+

OPEN EDUCATION REFERS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR BASIC OR FURTHER EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT A PERSON MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE ELIGIBLE BECASUE HE OR SHE WAS BEYOND THE NORMAL AGE LIMITS OR WAS INADEQUATELY QUALIFIED, BUT OPEN EDUCATION COULD OFFER SUCH A PERSON A SECOND CHANCE.

OPEN EDUCATION INCLUDES DISTANCE LEARNING BY CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES, PART-TIME ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, EXTERNAL DEGREE AND DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY A UNIVERSITY, POLYTECHNIC OR RECOGNISED COLLEGE, AND FULL-TIME COURSES FOR MATURE STUDENTS.

+THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WISHES TO CONSIDER WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO EXTEND OPEN EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE PUBLIC SHOULD SEND THEIR VIEWS, IN CHINESE OR ENGLISH TO THE SECRETARY TO THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, EAST WING, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.