XN000022-1990-05-09 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1990

"WHETHER THE NEW TERMS ARE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS THAN CIVIL SERVICE WILL DEPEND ON AN OFFICER'S INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND REQUIREMENTS,

TERMS

SHE SAID.

"THE

OF

ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERS THAT THE OPTIONS GIVEN TO STAFF ARE FAIR AND REASONABLE. THEY WILL FACILITATE THE EARLY SETTING UP THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, MRS WONG SAID.

FI

THE SECRETARY SAID THE PROPOSED REFORM MEASURES WOULD BRING CHANGE AND WITH IT UNPRECEDENTED NEW OPPORTUNITIES.

"I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GIVEN A SHARED VISION AND IN OUR ENDEAVOUR TO SERVE, WE WILL ACHIEVE LONG TERM GOALS BY FIRST OVERCOMING SHORT-TERM DIFFICULTIES, MRS WONG SAID.

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TWO KEY ELEMENTS IN EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

* * * * * *

THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON K.Y. YEUNG, RECAPITULATED THE GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE 1990'S IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1990 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

NOTING THAT THE STRATEGY WAS BASED ON TWO IMPORTANT PREMISES MR YEUNG SAID: "THEY ARE, FIRST, THAT THE QUALITY OF OUR TERTIARY EDUCATION IS NOT IN DOUBT BUT THE NUMBER OF PLACES HAS FALLEN FAR SHORT OF OUR ECONOMY'S NEEDS AND OUR COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS.

I

'SECONDLY, THE NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ADEQUATE BUT IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO ITS QUALITY."

TIME.

MR YEUNG SAID THIS SITUATION WOULD BE WITH US FOR QUITE SOME

HE RECALLED THAT GIVEN THE WAY OUR ECONOMY WAS MOVING TOWARDS KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE EMPLOYMENT, A LARGE MEASURE OF CONSENSUS THAT THE RAPID EXPANSION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION WAS THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR US TO TAKE HAD BEEN REACHED LAST YEAR.

"INDEED, MY BRANCH'S MANPOWER PROJECTIONS HAVE CONFIRMED

THAT, UNLESS WE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF FIRST YEAR, FIRST DEGREE PLACES BY THE MID 1990'S, OUR ECONOMY WOULD BE IN TROUBLE.'

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MR YEUNG SAID IN SPITE OF THE PLANNED INCREASE IN THE LOCAL SUPPLY OF GRADUATES, WE WOULD STILL BE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON OVERSEAS SUPPLIES OF GRADUATES AT THAT TIME.

„UT HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE PLANS, ALBEIT AMBITIOUS, WERE ACHIEVABLE AND GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE.

/ON A