XN000022-1988-10-26 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1988

25

OF INSTRUCTION

ON THE QUESTION OF LANGUAGE, HE SAID THERE WAS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN ENGLISH AS THE LANGUAGE

AND ENGLISH AS AN

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE.

HONG KONG WAS AMBIVALENT

ABOUT ENGLISH AS AN INTERNATIONAL

YOUNG LANGUAGE AND MANY

PEOPLE REGARDED IT AS A NECESSARY EVIL BECAUSE IT WAS A VALUABLE COMMERCIAL ASSET, MR TIEN SAID.

"THE REPORT STATES THAT MORE RESOURCES SHOULD BE URGENTLY DEVOTED TO BETTER ENGLISH TEACHING. I AGREE, HE SAID.

"BUT WE MUST ALSO LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES TOO, VENTURES HAVE APPARENTLY BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.

AS SOME RECENT

"I FEEL THAT BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE MUST BE STRENGTHENED AND IMPROVED BY THE BEST METHODS AVAILABLE.

I

WHICH POINTED INSTITUTIONS SHOULD HAVE A

MR TIEN ALSO AGREED WITH THE PART OF THE REPORT

FUNDED TERTIARY OUT THAT ALL PUBLICLY COMMON ENTRY POINT,

THE TREATED

"THE LENGTH OF THE DEGREE COURSE IS NOT TREATED DOGMATICALLY

THAT (AS WE HAVE SEEN IN IN THE REPORT, BUT I REGRET TO SAY SUBMISSIONS FROM THE TWO UNIVERSITIES),

OFTEN [S

DOGMATICALLY, HE SAID.

114

IT

"LET US JUST BE A LITTLE MORE PRAGMATIC.

SO-CALLED

THE BETWEEN MR TIEN SAID HE PERCEIVED A CONNECTION BRAIN DRAIN AND THE LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG.

AS A

"I ALSO SEE THE DIRECT SUBSIDY SCHEME

POSSIBLE WAY TO STEM THE OUTFLOW OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND THEIR FAMILIES ABROAD.

I SUPPORT THE SCHEME DESPITE THE CRITICISMS MADE ABOUT SOME QUARTERS," HE SAID.

IT IN

+1

ELITISM

IS

NOT NECESSARILY

A BAD IDEA

IF

IT

ENSURES

EXCELLENCE.

"THIS SCHEME IS NOT FOR THE WEALTHY, BUT RATHER FOR CAN BENEFIT, INTELLECTUALLY, FROM IT.

THOSE WHO

"BY 1997, MUCH OF THE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT SECTOR FROM THE LOCAL POPULATION.

WILL BE DRAWN

H

UNIVERSITY

WILL BECOME VITAL FUTURE MANAGERS OF OUR

PERSONS INDEED THOSE

NOW ENTERING THOSE VERY SAME PEOPLE. THEY ARE THE SOCIETY.

ENCOURAGE

I

ULTIMATELY

"I SUPPORT THE DIRECT SUBSIDY SCHEME BECAUSE IT WILL

BENEFIT FROM FINANCIAL HELP. STUDENTS OF QUALITY TO BELIEVE THAT QUALITY AND MERIT SHOULD BE REWARDED AND ENCOURAGED.

"HONG KONG WILL SURVIVE AND PROSPER IF WE ITS HIGHER

IN SPITE OF, RATHER THAN BECAUSE OF, IN ALL OF THIS THE REPORT HAS MADE A GOOD START."

IGNORE THIS REPORT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

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