XN000022-1993-10-27 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993

REPLYING TO SPECIFIC POINTS RAISED BY SOME MEMBERS ON TERTIARY EDUCATION, THE SECRETARY STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL ON TRACK IN ACHIEVING ITS TARGETS OF PROVIDING, BY 1994/95, ENOUGH FIRST-YEAR- FIRST-DEGREE PLACES FOR 18 PER CENT OF STUDENTS IN THE GROUP, PLUS SUB-DEGREE PLACES FOR ANOTHER SIX PER CENT.

RELEVANT AGE

HE ASSURED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD INVESTED AND WERE INVESTING HEAVILY IN TERTIARY EDUCATION.

MR LEUNG ALSO ELABORATED ON THE PROPOSALS IN THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS WHICH INVOLVED SUBSTITUTING NON-GRADUATE TEACHERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY DEGREE HOLDERS.

FROM

"IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS, THE GRADUATE TEACHERS WILL THE EXISTING STOCK OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED ACQUIRING GRADUATE QUALIFICATIONS IN EDUCATION.

COME MAINLY OR WILL BE

"FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, GRADUATE TEACHERS WILL REPLACE NON- GRADUATE TEACHERS THROUGH NATURAL WASTAGE.

"WHILE NOT ALL NEW GRADUATE TEACHERS MAY BE TRAINED IN TEACHING, SALARY INDUCEMENTS AND AVAILABILITY OF TRAINING CAPACITY SHOULD ENABLE THEM TO UNDERGO SUCH TRAINING IN TIME.

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MR LEUNG WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE REFORMS IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 5, TOGETHER WITH THE EXPANDED OUTPUT FROM THE TERTIARY SECTOR, WOULD RESULT IN MORE GRADUATES TAKING UP TEACHING AS

A PROFESSION.

0

AGC SETS NEW TARGETS FOR LOCALISATION

MR

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,

JEREMY MATHEWS, TOLD LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE EXPECTED THE PRECENTAGE OF LOCAL DIRECTORATE OFFICERS IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT COULD RISE FROM 20 PERCENT TO ABOUT 50 PERCENT BY THE END OF 1995,

IN RESPONSE TO THE HON SIMON IP'S CALL FOR NEW TARGETS ΤΟ BE ESTABLISHED IN RESPECT OF THE LOCALISATION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, MR MATHEWS SAID IN THE MOTION OF THANKS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT HE HOPED THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF LOCAL CROWN COUNSEL IN HIS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ABOUT 60 PERCENT IN TWO YEARS.

HE EXPLAINED TO COUNCILLORS THE DIFFICULTIES THE DEPARTMENT ENCOUNTERED IN SETTING LOCALISATION TARGETS.

"THESE INCLUDE THE DIFFICULTY IN ASSESSING WASTAGE RATES AMONG EXPATRIATE AND LOCAL COUNSEL, THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CHANGES IN THE GOVERNMENT'S LOCALISATION POLICY, AND THE FACT THAT ALL PROMOTIONS ARE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF MERIT AND ABILITY.

"FACED WITH THESE UNCERTAINTIES, ANY FORECAST FIGURE MUST BE HEAVILY QUALIFIED," HE SAID.

/MR MATHEWS