XN000022-1994-03-17 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1994

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TECHNICAL COLLEGES VITAL TO HK'S TERTIARY EDUCATION: GOVERNOR

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GRADUATES FROM THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES ARE AS IMPORTANT TO THE GROWTH AND LIFE OF HONG KONG AS THOSE FROM THE UNIVERSITIES, GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

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SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL'S TSING YI TECHNICAL COLLEGE, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COLLEGE, TOGETHER WITH ITS SISTER AT CHAI WAN, MARKS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT STEP IN THE EXPANSION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION HERE IN HONG KONG.

BY TAKING OVER ALL THE NON-DEGREE PLACES FROM THE POLYTECHNICS.. THE TWO TECHNICAL COLLEGES ALLOW A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEGREE PLACES ON OFFER IN THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

MORE IMPORTANT, THESE COLLEGES WILL PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION - EXCELLENCE BOTH IN THE VARIETY OF COURSES THAT WILL BE OFFERED AND IN THE QUALITY WITH WHICH THEY WILL BE TAUGHT.

MR PATTEN SAID IT WAS VITAL THAT YOUNG PEOPLE BE GIVEN THE QUALITY OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION THAT THEY NEEDED TO GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE IN THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, LANGUAGES AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS.

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YOUNG

"THIS COLLEGE WILL PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAN COME TO FIND THOSE SKILLS AND TO DEVELOP THAT CONFIDENCE.

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OPPORTUNITIES ·

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THROUGH THIS, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEIZE THE THAT HONG KONG HAS TO OFFER, HE SAID.

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CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SPEAKS TO REPORTERS AT CGO LOBBY * * * * *

CS: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR WAITING SO PATIENTLY. WE'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM THE MEDIA TO COMMENT ON MR LU PING'S STATEMENT. SO, I THOUGHT I WOULD TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY. SEVERAL POINTS. FIRST OF ALL, ON THE QUESTION OF RIGHT OF ABODE AND PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS, WE HAVE PUT FORWARD OUR VIEWS ON HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS THROUGH. A VERY SIMPLE MEANS. WE PUT THESE PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. THE CHINESE, HAVE, AGREED TO EXPERT TALKS BUT WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO GET A DATE OUT OF THEM. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A MATTER ON WHICH THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. I AGREE ENTIRELY WITH MR LU PING THAT WE SHOULD SEEK AN EARLY SOLUTION SO I HOPE VERY MUCH THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO AGREE AN EARLY DATE FOR TALKS TO BEGIN. THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO MEET WITH HIS CHINESE COUNTERPARTS EITHER HERE OR IN BEIJING TO DISCUSS THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER.

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