XN000022-1995-11-02 — Page 48

35 -

* the introduction or re-inforcement of a series of policy initiatives aimed at enhancing the overall quality of our students such as the policy on medium of instruction, diversification of the school curriculum, the introduction of the School Management Initiative and Target Oriented Curriculum.

Notwithstanding these improvements, we are in no way complacent as some Members seem to suggest in their speeches. On the contrary, we have been working hard to lay the solid foundation for the 21st century and to develop high quality education:

* the University Grants Committee will be submitting to Government its Report on the Review of the Development of Higher Education in early 1996, setting out the vision, goals and objectives for higher education into the next century;

* the Education Commission is expected to submit its anxiously-awaited report on Language Proficiency by the end of this year. This report should provide us with a comprehensive strategy in enhancing the language proficiency of our school students in Chinese, English and Putonghua.

* the next immediate tasks of the Education Commission are to complete its final report on school quality and publish its consultative docurnent on school funding, both in 1996.

the Board of Education is conducting separate reviews on the nine-year compulsory education and special education and expects to complete them in the first half of 1996.

to complete the review on the school sector, the Education Commission will commence its review on the post-compulsory school education in early 1996.

The recommendations from all these reviews plus those from the Working Party on Kindergarten Education expected by the end of 1995 will provide the Administration with not only an overall perspective of our education system but more importantly, the opportunity to develop our education policies and strategies for the next century in a coherent and forward looking manner.