XN000022-1994-05-12 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1994

MR TIK BRITAIN

CHINESE

CHI-YUEN (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR GOVERNOR, YOU COME FROM BUT I JUST HOPE THAT YOU WILL RENDER YOUR FULL SUPPORT TO BEING USED AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. WE HAVE BEEN USING ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION FOR DECADES BUT IT THEN IT HAS NEVER BEEN EFFECTIVE. MANY PARENTS DO NOT WANT TO USE CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. IN HONG KONG WE STILL FAVOUR ENGLISH AT THE EXPENSE OF CHINESE. I THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PHENOMENON. FOR MANY SECONDARY SCHOOLS

PARTLY

ENGLISH RECRUITS

IS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION AND EVEN WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CIVIL SERVANTS FOR CERTAIN POSTS THEY WOULD REQUIRE A PASS IN THE SUBJECT OF ENGLISH BUT THEY DON'T MENTION THE QUALIFICATION AS ΤΟ THEIR CHINESE PROFICIENCY. SO MR GOVERNOR, DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INSTRUCT THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO RECTIFY THE - SITUATION, THAT IS NOT TO FAVOUR ENGLISH AT THE EXPENSE OF CHINESE SO

AS TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WHOLE OF THE SOCIETY?

GOVERNOR: I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, I SEE SOME DISTINGUISHED SENIOR OFFICERS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ON MY RIGHT, I AM NOT SURE THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WOULD AGREE THAT TEACHING IN ENGLISH OVER THE LAST YEAR HAD BEEN A COMPLETE DISASTER AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER APPEARED TO BE SUGGESTING. THE SUBJECT IS OF COURSE A CONTROVERSIAL ONE AND A MATTER OF CONCERN ΤΟ PARENTS AND WE WANT TO PROCEED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE USING VOLUNTARY METHODS RATHER THAN COMPULSION.

WHERE I AGREE WITH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS THAT WE WANT TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE TAUGHT IN THE MOST APPROPRIATE MEDIUM, WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE TAUGHT IN CHINGLISH RATHER THAN EITHER ENGLISH OR CHINESE AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID AT THE MOMENT. THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL KNOW THAT MANY PARENTS WHEN IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE SCHOOL WHICH THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND IS GOING ΤΟ SHIFT FROM ENGLISH TO CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION DON'T LIKE IT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OF THEIR CHILDREN, THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO MEAN THAT THEIR CHILDREN GET A LESS GOOD EDUCATION. IN FACT, ONE OF THE OBVIOUS THINGS THAT ONE CAN AND SHOULD DO, WHERE THAT SHIFT TAKES PLACE, IS TO ENSURE THAT MORE EMPHASIS IS PLACED, ALBEIT WITHIN A CURRICULUM WHICH IS TAUGHT IN CHINESE, ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING ITSELF THROUGH BRIDGING COURSES AND IN OTHER WAYS.

AT PRESENT, WE ARE ENCOURAGING SCHOOLS TO MOVE TO THE MOST APPROPRIATE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. I HOPE THAT IN DOING THAT WE'LL HAVE AS MUCH UNDERSTANDING FROM PARENTS AS POSSIBLE. AND THAT WOULD OF COURSE BE THE BACKDROP TO THE MUCH GREATER EFFORTS THAT WE ARE TAKING TO ENCOURAGE PROFICIENCY NOT JUST IN ENGLISH BUT IN PUTONGHUA AS WELL. WE SET UP A LANGUAGE FUND FOR WHICH THIS COUNCIL HAS NOW VOTED THE CASH. I THINK THERE ARE TWO MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WHO ARE ON THE COMMITTEE WHICH WILL DETERMINE HOW THE FUND USES ITS MONEY. THAT'S JUST ONE WAY IN WHICH I HOPE THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT HONG KONG RETAINS THE LINGUISTIC SKILLS THAT IT NEEDS AS ONE OF THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRES IN THE WORLD. OF COURSE, WITH A LIVING LANGUAGE LIKE CANTONESE, IT IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE MAIN CULTURAL BACKDROP FOR PEOPLE IN THE TERRITORY BUT IT'S EQUALLY TRUE THAT IN ALL SORTS OF WALKS OF LIFE ENGLISH AND MANDARIN ARE GOING то BE VERY IMPORTANT AND WAYS OF ENSURING THAT SOMEBODY CAN DO THE JOBS AS ADEQUATELY AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT WILL BE TRUE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AS WELL. AND THERE ARE SOME JOBS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WHICH WILL REQUIRE FROM TIME TO TIME ALL THREE LANGUAGES AND WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN MANAGE THEM ALL.

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/ROGER LOK: