XN000022-1987-02-18 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1987

COMMUNITY, STUDENTS' NEEDS COME FIRST

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THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE USEFULNESS OF THE EDUCATION TO THE STUDENTS IN THE SIXTH FORM SHOULD TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE EXISTING ADMISSION POLICIES ADOPTED BY INDIVIDUAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, THE HON RITA FAN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 2, MRS FAN SAID THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY WAS FOR MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE TRAINED AT DEGREE LEVEL RATHER THAN TO HAVE LONGER DEGREE COURSES.

+THIS IS NOT A SACRIFICE OF QUALITY FOR QUANTITY, BECAUSE THE QUALITY OF A DEGREE COURSE IS DEPENDENT ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS INCLUDING TEACHING METHODOLOGY, CURRICULUM PLANNING, STAFF-STUDENT CONTACT HOURS. THE LENGTH OF THE COURSE IS BUT ONE OF THE MANY FACTORS,+ SHE SAID.

DEFENDING SIXTH FORM STUDENTS' POOR LANGUAGE ABILITY AND THEIR LACK OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, MRS FAN SAID THE ROOT OF THESE DEFICIENCIES LAY MORE IN THE EXAMINATION SYLLABUSES AND ADMISSION POLICIES OF THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OFFERING DEGREE COURSES, RATHER THAN IN THE STUDENTS' ABILITY TO LEARN OR THE SCHOOLS' ABILITY TO TEACH.

SHE SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A STUDY OF THE ACADEMIC STANDARD OF CERTAIN A-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS AND OF THE CURRENT ADMISSION POLICIES ADOPTED BY TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.

STATING THAT THESE ADMISSION SYSTEMS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION FOR STUDENTS, WASTAGE OF RESOURCES AND PROBLEMS FOR SCHOOLS, SHE PROPOSED THERE BE A COMMON POINT ENTRY FOR ALL DEGREE COURSES.

+WITH THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DEGREE PLACES TO BE OFFERED BY THE THIRD UNIVERSITY, THE POLYTECHNICS AND BAPTIST COLLEGE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO RATIONALISE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TERTIARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, BY TAKING A DECISION ON A COMMON ENTRY POINT FOR ALL DEGREE COURSES AS A FIRST STEP, MRS FAN SAID.

MRS FAN ADMITTED THAT THE DECISION ON THE LEVEL OF THE COMMON ENTRY POINT WOULD NOT BE AN EASY ONE AND THAT TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE GIVEN TIME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.

/+INSTITUTIONS CAN