XN000022-1985-11-28 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985

+PROF ICIENCY IN BOTH THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGES IS AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF OUR STUDIES AND WORK, HE SAID.

MR LIU GAVE FULL SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION OF COMBINING THE AIDED FORM 4 PLACES AND THE ONE-YEAR FULL-TIME BASIC CRAFTSMAN PLACES BASED ON THE EXISTING PROJECTED DEMAND FOR SCHOOL PLACES.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD KEEP CLOSE WATCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMBINED SCHOOL PLACES SO THAT SUITABLE ADJUSTMENTS COULD BE MADE IN THE COMING YEARS TO MEET THE EVER-CHANGING NEEDS OF THE TIME,

HE SAID THE MATRICULATION COURSE HAD BECOME AN IMPORTANT LINK IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF HONG KONG,

+ALTHOUGH THE COURSE IS STILL BEING REGARDED BY QUITE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS AS THE AVENUE LEADING TO UNIVERSITY, NOT MANY OF THEM WOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER ANY OF THE UNIVERSITIES OR POST- SECONDARY COLLEGES AND THE MAJORITY OF THE MATRICULANTS HAVE TO TAKE UP A JOB IN SOCIETY, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD THEREFORE THINK ABOUT REFORMING THE MATRICULATION COURSE SO THAT MORE PRACTICAL SUBJECTS COULD BE INTRODUCED AND MORE ALTERNATIVES COULD BE OFFERED TO STUDENTS.

MR LIU EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF DEGREE PLACES IN THE TWO UNIVERSITIES COULD NOT SATISFY THE PRACTICAL DEMAND OF LOCAL STUDENTS FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION AT THE MOMENT AND IN THE FUTURE.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONDUCT A REVIEW ON THE EXPANSION OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE TWO POLYTECHNICS, AS WELL AS ON THE IR ABILITY TO MAKE USE OF THE IR RESOURCES.

+ IT IS ONLY BY SO DOING CAN PUBLIC NEED FOR TERTIARY PLACES BE MET, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE CARE OF THE ELDERLY, MR LIU URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO DO ITS BEST TO PROVIDE MORE HOSTELS FOR THEM THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN A COMMENDABLE RATE OF GROWTH IN THE PROVISION OF SUCH HOSTELS.

HE ADDED THAT MORE ACTIVITY CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY SHOULD BE BUILT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STABILITY.

HE SAID MANY HOMES OR HOSTELS FOR THE AGED IN HONG KONG WERE RUN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND MOST OF THEM PROF IT-MAK ING.

AS THESE HOMES WERE NOT GOVERNED BY SPECIFIC LEGISLATIONS AND THE IR STANDARD OF SERVICE COULD NOT BE ENSURED, MR LIU SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SHOULD CONDUCT SURVEYS ON THESE PRIVATE

INSTITUTIONS AND INTRODUCE MEASURES TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF THESE HOMES TO AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL.

/HE SAID

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