XN000022-1987-06-05 — Page 6

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1987

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GOVERNMENT DETERMINED TO PROMOTE TECHNICAL EDUCATION

IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO BUILD UP THE PROVISION OF DEGREE PLACES TO AT LEAST 30 PER CENT OF THE ULTIMATE STUDENT POPULATION BY MID 1990S, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE FOUNDATION STONE-LAYING CEREMONY OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC, SIR DAVID SAID THE PLANS WERE AMBITIOUS BUT THEY WERE EVIDENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO PROMOTE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL.

HE SAID HONG KONG'S SUCCESS RELIED HEAVILY ON ITS BUSINESSMEN TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS OVERSEAS AND THEMSELVES TO BE COMPETITIVE.

THE ABILITY OF ON THE PRODUCTS

"TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S SUCCESS AND THE COMPETITIVENESS OF ITS GOODS, WE MUST KEEP ABREAST OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES ON ALL FRONTS," SIR DAVID ADDED.

"TO DO THIS, WE MUST INVEST IN OUR FUTURE BY CONSTANTLY IMPROVING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND INCREASING THE EMPHASIS ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION."

NOTING THAT HONG KONG HAD SEVEN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF LONG AND SHORT-TERM TRAINING COURSES, SIR DAVID SAID THE PRESENT OUTPUT AT THE CRAFTSMAN AND TECHNICIAN LEVEL WAS ABOUT RIGHT.

"AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL, THE GOVERNMENT HAS LONG RECOGNISED THE GROWING DEMAND FOR TECHNOLOGISTS, AS APPLIED TECHNOLOGY USED IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES BECOMES INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED," SIR DAVID SAID.

HE SAID IT WAS TO MEET THIS DEMAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED IN 1981 THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE REVIEWING POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, TO ESTABLISH A SECOND POLYTECHNIC, AND TO EXPAND SIGNIFICANTLY THE PROVISION OF TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGISTS AND PROFESSIONALS.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS SINCE THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED ITS DECISION TO BUILD A SECOND POLYTECHNIC AND A LOT HAD BEEN DONE SINCE THEN.

THE LEGISLATION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC WAS ENACTED IN 1983 FOLLOWED) CLOSELY BY THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST CITY POLYTECHNIC COUNCIL IN JANUARY 1984. AND THE FIRST STUDENT INTAKE USING TEMPORARY PREMISES BEGAN IN OCTOBER THAT YEAR.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE SIZE OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC HAD EXPANDED RAPIDLY IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE THE FIRST STUDENTS ENROLLED. THERE WERE SOME 4,500 STUDENTS AT PRESENT.

"THE RANGE