XN000022-1992-04-08 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1992

- 1

QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOLS EMPHASISED

* * * * *

DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT'S AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME TO ACCELERATE THE RATE OF EXPANSION AT THE TERTIARY SECTOR, THE SEVEN LOCAL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 41 PER CENT OF THE NEW GRADUATES ENTERING THE WORKFORCE DURING THE PERIOD 1991-96.

CONSEQUENTLY, HONG KONG WILL STILL HAVE TO RELY ON OVERSEAS GRADUATES, IMMIGRANTS AND RETURNED EMIGRANTS FOR THE SUPPLY OF GRADUATE MANPOWER AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CONTINUING INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE OPEN LEARNING INSTITUTE.

FOR EDUCATION AND MOTION DEBATE AT THE

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY MANPOWER, MISS CHRISTINE CHOW, DURING A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MISS CHOW SAID NOTWITHSTANDING THE STEADY EXPANSION IN THE TERTIARY SECTOR IN THE YEARS PAST, DEGREE LEVEL PLACES CONTINUED TO BE IN GREAT DEMAND.

THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS LEAVING FOR OVERSEAS STUDY EVERY YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF LOSS QUALIFIED MANPOWER THROUGH EMIGRATION, STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN OUR ECONOMY HAVE RESULTED IN AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE.

"THIS IS WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON THE AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME TO ACCELERATE THE RATE OF EXPANSION AT THE TERTIARY SECTOR, WITH THE TARGET OF PROVIDING A FIRST-YEAR-FIRST-DEGREE PLACE FOR 18 PER CENT OF THE 17-20 AGE GROUP BY 1994-95, MISS CHOW SAID.

||

NOTING THAT MUCH HAD BEEN SAID ABOUT THE PERCEIVED IMBALANCE IN RESOURCE ALLOCATION BETWEEN THE TERTIARY AND THE SCHOOLS SECTORS, MISS CHOW SAID THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT THE TERTIARY EXPANSION PROGRAMME WAS, EXPENSIVE.

"HOWEVER, THE UPGC HAS A NUMBER OF BUDGETARY AND MONITORING MECHANISMS WHICH, WITHOUT ERODING THE ACADEMIC FREEDOM FOR THE INSTITUTIONS, ENSURES THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE DEPLOYED COST-EFFECTIVE WAY," MISS CHOW SAID.

IN THE MOST

OF TERTIARY PROGRAMME IS

"BUT PRIORITY IS GIVEN ΤΟ THE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE BEING ACHIEVED AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOLS.

EDUCATIONAL FUNDING OF

ALLOWANCE,

"CONTRARY TO THE ADVERTISEMENTS PLACED BY VARIOUS BODIES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, THERE IS NO CUT BACK IN THE SCHOOL ALLOCATION. EVEN WITH THE WITHDRAWL OF THE REPEATER THERE WILL STILL BE A REAL INCREASE OF 1.5 PER CENT IN SCHOOLS EXPENDITURE. THIS FIGURE DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LIKELY SALARY INCREASE IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR FOR WHICH ADDITIONAL PROVISION WILL BE MADE."

MISS CHOW NOTED THAT SEVERAL FACTORS ACCOUNTED FOR THE SLOWER RATE OF INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE IN THE SCHOOLS SECTOR.

/UNLIKE THE