XN000022-1995-07-31 — Page 2

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Education Commission report for public consultation

The Education Commission has endorsed the proposed structure for the Commission's Report No 6 on Language Proficiency and would release the Report for further public consultations at the end of the year, the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Rosie Young said today( Monday).

"The Commission has also endorsed in principle, the proposed outline for the review of the post-compulsory education in Hong Kong and a working group will be set up under the Commission to conduct the review in early 1996," said Professor Young.

The meeting received a progress report from the Board of Education on the review of compulsory education covering Primary 1 to Form 3. The Working Group on General Teaching Council also reported on the progress made since its setting up two months ago.

The meeting discussed a letter from the President of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union suggesting that the Commission should open up further.

Professor Young pointed out that the Commission felt that the existing practice was conducive to encouraging frank discussions within the Commission.

"We do not see any merits in making drastic changes to the present arrangement, as the Commission has always consulted the public fully on major issues and at the same time making information as accessible to the public as possible.

"It is important that a balance be struck between protecting the candour of EC discussions and making information available to the public. We also have a standing arrangement to brief the media after the meetings," she added.

However, members agreed that the Commission should organise more structured public forums to discuss specific issues and to solicit views from the public, the teaching professionals and interested parties.

During the meeting, Professor Young also announced that the Commission had decided to cancel its proposed visit to China in October.

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"We are disappointed that the Chinese authorities have difficulties in accepting all nine EC Members to take part in the visit. This was to be an official visit, we cannot proceed further as a matter of principle, if the Commission cannot determine the composition of the delegation," she said.