XN000022-1989-12-18 — Page 2

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1989

CRUCIAL ROLE FOR BAPTIST COLLEGE: GOVERNOR

THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE WILL HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY II. THE FULFILMENT OF THE FAR REACHING OBJECTIVES IN TERTIARY BLUCATION OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SIR RUN RUN SHAW BUILDING AND THE SCIENCE TOWER AT THE COLLEGE, SIR DAVID SAID THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT TIME TO HAVE COMPLETED BOTH THESE NEW BUILDINGS WHICH TOGETHER PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED SPACE FOR MANY NEW DEGREE COURSES.

THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SECTOR WAS ENTERING AN EXCITING PHASE OF RAPID EXPANSION TO MEET THE MANPOWER NEEDS OF AN INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED ECONOMY IN THE 1990'S AND BEYOND, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

"AS I TOLD MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 11, OUR AIM IS TO DOUBLE THE PRESENT 7,000 FIRST YEAR DEGREE PLACES TO ABOUT 15,000 PLACES BY 1995.

"THIS WILL REPRESENT 18 PER CENT OF THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP IN THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.

"THESE AMBITIOUS PLANS HAVE RECEIVED GENERAL WELCOME AND SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

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HE POINTED OUT THAT THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE WAS NOW WORKING WITH THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAMME OF EXPANSION WHICH WOULD ENSURE NOT ONLY THAT THE TARGETS WERE ACHIEVED BUT ALSO THAT THE TRADITIONALLY HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS WERE MAINTAINED.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THE COLLEGE HAD ACHIEVED A RECORD ENROLMENT OF 3,000 STUDENTS THIS YEAR.

"FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALL OF THE FIRST YEAR INTAKE ARE PURSUING HONOURS DEGREES OR POST-GRADUATE STUDIES.

"THIS IN ITSELF IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COLLEGE ONLY STARTED TO OFFER DEGREE COURSES IN 1986.

"THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COLLEGE HAVE BOTH PLAYED THEIR ᏢᎪᎡᎢ, "

SIR DAVID SAID.

"BUT THE PROGRESS MADE SO FAR WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT AT THE COLLEGE'S 30TH COMMENCEMENT EARLIER, NEARLY 1,000 STUDENTS HAD RECEIVED THEIR ACADEMIC AWARDS, AND FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME THE COLLEGE WAS AWARDING DEGREES.

/CONGRATULATING THE

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