XN000022-1988-05-10 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1988

GOVERNOR VISITS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, VISITED THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON.

SIR DAVID WAS WELCOMED ON ARRIVAL BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, HE Y T. LI.

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HE WAS BRIEFED BY MR LI AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DIRECTORATE ON CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION.

THE GOVERNOR THEN PROCEEDED ON A BRIEF TOUR OF THE BUILDING SECTION, THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION.

HE WAS BRIEFED ON PLANS FOR THE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG AND WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THESE WERE PROCEEDING WELL IN RELATION TO BOTH ORDINARY SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS.

"THE ENORMOUS EXPANSION OF SCHOOL PLACES DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO HAS INEVITABLY PLACED SOME STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM AND HAS MADE THE TASK OF TEACHING MUCH MORE DEMANDING, SIR DAVID SAID.

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I AM PLEASED THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS TACKLING THIS PROBLEM AND IS MAKING STEADY PROGRESS IN SUCH AREAS AS IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS, REMEDIAL TEACHING IN SCHOOLS, STUDENT COUNSELLING AND LANGUAGE TEACHING."

WHICH

SIR DAVID COMMENTED THAT TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION, ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 18 PER CENT OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET, WAS MORE THAN THAT ALLOCATED TO ANY SINGLE AREA OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY.

"THIS REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT

TO EDUCATION AS AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE AND AS A KEY FACTOR IN THE PRESERVATION OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY," HE SAID.

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