XN000022-1987-09-03 — Page 9

8

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1987

CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP FINANCIAL MODELS FOR EDUCATION POLICY

THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT APPROVAL HAD BEEN GIVEN FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF COST-EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL MODELS TO HELP IN THE FORMULATION

OF EDUCATION POLICY.

PROPOSALS FOR SUCH A CONSULTANCY WERE MADE BY COMMISSION IN ITS REPORT NO. 2.

A

THE EDUCATION

GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S TERMS OF REFERENCE OBLIGED IT TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF ANY CHANGES WHICH IT PROPOSED AND THE EFFECT THAT ITS PROPOSALS MIGHT HAVE ON THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL EDUCATION BUDGET.

RECOMMENDATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT THEIR FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN

"WHEN THE COMMISSION SUBMITS HAS IN TURN TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COMING TO A FINAL POLICY DECISION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

**

TO ASSIST THE COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS TASK, THE COMMISSION'S REPORT HAD RECOMMENDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A COMPUTERISED NETWORK WHICH COULD QUICKLY COLLECT AND ANALYSE INFORMATION FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION, IN PARTICULAR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL

THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS

DEPARTMENT AND SECRETARIAT.

TRAINING COMMITTEE

CONSIST OF

THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT THE NETWORK SHOULD A SERIES OF "COMPUTER MODELS", EACH COVERING A SINGLE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR. THESE COMPUTER MODELS WOULD FEED DATA INTO A "MASTER" MODEL WHICH WOULD BE OPERATED BY THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

"THE NEW SYSTEM SHOULD ENABLE BOTH THE COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE QUICKER, MORE ACCURATE JUDGMENTS ON THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION POLICY," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT ITSELF HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE TO DEVELOP THE COMPUTER MODELS AND WOULD THEREFORE HAVE TO EMPLOY CONSULTANTS.

"AS THE FIRST STAGE IN THE CONSULTANCY, A DETAILED SYSTEMS SPECIFICATION STUDY WILL BE NECESSARY. FUNDS FOR THIS INITIAL STUDY, ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $2.5 MILLION, WILL BE SOUGHT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

/"ASSUMING APPROVAL,