XN000022-1993-05-12 — Page 37

WEDNESDAY, MAY, 12, 1993

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SCHOOLS ENCOURAGED TO TEACH PUTONGHUA

IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS TO TEACH PUTONGHUA AND TO TRAIN TEACHERS FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID.

AT PRESENT, PUTONGHUA IS TAUGHT AS AN ELECTIVE SUBJECT IN 375 PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND 154 SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHILE ANOTHER 93 SCHOOLS PROMOTE THE LEARNING OF PUTONGHUA THROUGH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

TRAINING WAS ALSO PROVIDED FOR OVER 1,000 TEACHERS IN THE 1991/ 92 SCHOOL YEAR, MR CHAN SAID IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON GILBERT LEUNG KAM-HO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE

THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND BASIC LAW PROVIDED THAT THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHOULD MAINTAIN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM PREVIOUSLY PRACTISED IN HONG KONG..

"THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THE PRESENT POLICY OF ENCOURAGING AND FACILITATING THE LEARNING OF PUTONGHUA IS APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG'S NEEDS.

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"IT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION TO ENSURE THAT, AS AS POSSIBLE, RESOURCES ARE PROVIDED TO MATCH CHANGES IN DEMAND, MR CHAN ADDED.

FAR

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MOBILE PHONE MARKET HAS DISCIPLINE

THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE NATURE OF HONG KONG'S MOBILE TELEPHONE MARKET HAS IMPOSED A MARKET DISCIPLINE ON OPERATORS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GORDON SIU, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

THE OPERATORS HAVE, ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE, IMPOSED LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A GOOD QUALITY SERVICE.

MR SIU WAS GIVING A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LAU WONG-FAT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE LICENCES ISSUED TO OPERATORS OF PUBLIC MOBILE RADIOTELEPHONE SERVICES (PMRS) DID NOT CONTAIN SPECIFIC CONDITIONS RESTRICTING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS то A PARTICULAR SERVICE OR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MORILE TELEPHONES THAT MIGHT BE SOLD.

"THIS IS TO ALLOW LICENSEES FLEXIBILITY TO INTRODUCE NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR TO EXPAND THEIR NETWORK CAPACITIES AS AND WHEN THESE BECOME AVAILABLE," MR SIU EXPLAINED.

"FOR EXAMPLE,