XN000022-1992-07-24 — Page 2

- I

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1992

GOVERNOR EMPHASISES IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION

* * * * *

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THERE WAS NO SUBJECT MORE IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE THAN EDUCATION.

"IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SRE HONG KONG'S FUTURE BOTH AS ONE OF THE ECONOMIC CAPITALS OF ASIA AND THE WORLD, AND AS ONE OF THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITALS AS WELL," HE SAID AFTER A DAY-LONG TOUR Он VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND MEETING EDUCATORS.

MR PATTEN SAID THERE WAS A VERY GREAT ECONOMIC IMPORTANCK IN ENSURING THAT HONG KONG CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE FOUNDATIONS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

"SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAN COME ONTO TO TERTIARY EDUCATION AND AS WELL, SO AS TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO TRAIN AND RE-TRAIN.

IS TO

'AND ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT I'LL BE SETTING MYSELF SEE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, NOT ONLY OF HIGHER BDUCATION, NOT ONLY OF SCHOOLS, BUT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS WELL, BECAUSE VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY, MR PATTEN SAID.

TODAY, THE GOVERNOR SPENT THE WHOLE DAY LEARNING ABOUT BDUCATION IN THE TERRITORY.

HR BEGAN HIS EDUCATION DAY WITH A BRIEFING BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

ACCOMPANIED BY MR CHAN, THE GOVERNOR MET THE CHAIRMAN OF UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE (UPGC), MR ANDREW LI THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL, PROFESSOR DAVID TODD, THE SECRETARIAT OF THE UPGC.

THE

AND AT

MR PATTEN WENT ON TO VISIT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN ITS NRW PREMISES AT WU CHUNG HOUSE, WAN CHAI. THERE, HE WAS BRIEFED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR Y.T. LI, AND HIS SENIOR OFFICERS.

HIS NEXT STOP WAS THE HONG KONG TEACHERS' CENTRE IN NORTH POINT, WHERE HE MET A GROUP OF PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS ATTENDING A MANAGEMENT SEMINAR AND SAW A KUNG FU DANCE PERFORMANCE BY PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS.

THE GOVERNOR HAD LUNCH WITH THE HEADS OF BOARDS AND CONCERNED WITH EDUCATION POLICIES.

COMMITTEES

IN THE AFTERNOON, MR PATTEN VISITED THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL'S TRAINING CENTRE COMPLEX AT KOWLOON BAY.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, MR STEPHEN CHRONG, AND THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR TONY TSUI, HE SAW TRAINEES RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN PRINTING, HOTEL SERVICES AND PRECISION TOOLING.

/THE LAST