XN000022-1989-11-01 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1989

9

STABILITY AND PROSPERITY THE PRIME OBJECTIVE

FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVE HONG KONG, THE PRESERVATION OF THE TERRITORY'S STABILITY AND THE CONTINUATION OF ITS PROSPERITY MUST BE OUR PRIME OBJECTIVE, THE HON RITA FAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

BETWEEN CHINA AND

SHE SAID IN SPITE OF THE RECENT HAPPENINGS HONG KONG, WITH ALL THE NEGATIVE FEELING AROUND US, IT WOULD BE ALL THE MORE NECESSARY FOR US TO RECOGNISE THAT THE REAL STRENGTH ΤΟ BUILD HONG KONG WAS IN HONG KONG ITSELF.

SPEAKING IN THE POLICY DEBATE, MRS FAN SAID HONG KONG COULD RELY ON NEITHER CHINA NOR THE WESTERN WORLD TO BUILD UP ITS OWN CONFIDENCE BUT SHOULD MAP OUT ITS OWN FUTURE PLANS.

"TO BOW TO CHINA AND FOLLOW THEIR EVERY WISH IS UNNECESSARY. TO CHALLENGE CHINA IN AN OPENLY CONFRONTATIONAL POSTURE IS EQUALLY UNNCESSARY.

"TO WIN FAVOUR WITH CHINA,

OR TO GAIN A COURAGEOUS PUBLIC

IMAGE, IF I MAY SAY SO, MAY NOT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY.

"WE SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY DECISION RESOLUTELY, IMPLEMENT OUR PLANS EFFICIENTLY, HANDLE DISPUTES PRAGMATICALLY, AND EXERCISE SELF-RESTRAINT AND DISCRETION, SHE SAID.

MRS FAN WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS ΤΟ IMPROVE EDUCATION IN BOTH QUANTITY AND QUALITY AS ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANPOWER WOULD BE THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR HONG KONG'S ROLE AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRADING AND FINANCIAL CENTRE.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE EXPANSION IN DEGREE PLACES HAD SATISFIED SOCIAL NEEDS. BUT BY DOUBLING THE INTAKE, THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS WOULD HAVE TO IMPROVE THEIR TEACHING METHODS TO ENSURE THAT THE GRADUATES WERE TO ACHIEVE THE SAME HIGH STANDARD.

ARE

"I BELIEVE UPGC SHOULD CONSIDER PLACING STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS, SO THAT ACADEMICS REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR TEACHING ROLE," SHE SAID.

MRS FAN NOTED THAT THE QUALITY OF TEACHING STAFF WOULD ALS0 IMPORTANT IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS.

BE

THE

SHE SUGGESTED THAT A DETAILED STUDY INTO THE FUTURE OF TEACHING PROFESSION WITH A VIEW TO ATTRACTING, TRAINING AND RETAINING GOOD TEACHERS SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY.

AS FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF OVERSEAS EXPERTS ΤΟ REVIEW HONG KONG'S EDUCATION SYSTEM, MRS FAN FELT THAT HONG KONG HAD THE EXPERTISE AND COMMITMENT TO FULFIL THE ASSIGNMENT.

"OUR POPULATION