XN000022-1994-05-12 — Page 2

- 1

GOVERNOR IN LEGCO

THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1994

FOLLOWING IS THE STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

WB

DISCUSS MANY SUBJECTS IN THIS COUNCIL. BUT FEW AFFECT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE MORE THAN EDUCATION AND TRAINING. IN HONG KONG OF ALL PLACES, WHERE WE HAVE NO NATURAL RESOURCES то DEPEND ON, WE WILL STAND OR FALL AS AN ECONOMY ON THE SKILLS AND TALENTS OF OUR PEOPLE.

KNOW THIS VERY

WELL.

HONG KONG PEOPLE

HONG KONG PARENTS RECOGNISE THE WORTH OF A DECENT EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THEY KNOW THAT EDUCATION AND TRAINING ARE A LADDER TO A BETTER LIFE.

SO THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH MOTIVATION IN HONG KONG. THE DEMAND FOR A GOOD EDUCATION IS THERE. IT IS UP TO THE GOVERNMENT TO DO ALL IT CAN TO MEET THAT DEMAND.

YEARS.

HONG KONG HAS COME ON IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS OVER THE LAST

30 YEARS AGO:

30

MANY CHILDREN WENT TO PRIMARY SCHOOL ON HOUSING ESTATE ROOF- TOPS;

WE COULD ONLY PROVIDE SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF THE AGE GROUP;

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WAS THE ONLY

INSTITUTION, OFFERING JUST 400 DEGREE PLACES.

TODAY:

DEGREE-AWARDING

EVERY ONE OF OUR CHILDREN ATTENDS NINE YEARS OF FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION;

85% OF THOSE WHO GO BEYOND SECONDARY THREE CAN GET INTO SUBSIDISED SECONDARY FOUR AND FIVE PLACES IN PUBLIC SECTOR SCHOOLS; ANOTHER 10% CAN OPT TO UNDERGO SUBSIDISED CRAFT- LEVEL TRAINING IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES.

TODAY, A FIFTH OF OUR POPULATION IS UNDERGOING FULL-TIME EDUCATION. BY SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, NEARLY 20% OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 17 AND 20 WILL BE ENROLLED IN FIRST-YEAR, FIRST-DEGREE COURSES IN OUR SEVEN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS. ANOTHER 14,000 WILL BE STUDYING SUB-DEGREE COURSES IN THE TWO POLYTECHNICS AND THE TWO TECHNICAL COLLEGES OF THE VTC. 16,000 STUDENTS ARE NOW ENROLLED IN DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREE AND SUB-DEGREE COURSES OFFERED BY THE OPEN LEARNING INSTITUTE.

/IN HONG