TNAG-0437-FCO40-502-Visits-of-UK-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 30

- 7 -

The re

with some 480 apprentices and achieves reasonable examination results. is an air of activity about the place and keenness in the students which probably overcomes material deficiencies. The Vice-Principal, Mr. H. K. Watt, who controls engineering training, is himself a product of the school. He completed his apprenticeship there in 1936.

Baptist College

36. With Mr. Lo King-Man I visited the Baptist College in the morning of 12th February. I was shown round the College by the President, Mr. D. C. Tse and the Head of the Civil Engineering Department, Dr. Chen Loh-Kwan. The College is run on American lines and offers first-degree level courses. Although graduates are admitted to Canadian and U.S.A. Universities for post- graduate studies, the Hong Kong Government does not recognise its awards.

37. Mr. Tse had visited the City and Guilds in 1973 with a view to discussing the practicability of his students taking City and Guilds technician examinations and thus gaining recognition in Hong Kong. However, the courses he offers do not marry with City and Guilds subjects and it is obvious that the President considers his own courses to be superior in academic level. There really is little help that the City and Guilds can give to the College which must pursue its own problem of obtaining Hong Kong Government recognition of its awards.

Cable and Wireless Limited

38. The Cable and Wireless Training Centre was visited on the afternoon of 12th February. A large number of our candidate entries from Hong Kong are in telecommunications subjects and many of these are employees of Cable and Wireless. Mr. R. A. Field, the Senior Training Officer and Mr. G. K. Goatley, his Assistant, showed me round the Centre which was small but very well equipped. At the time of my visit a short Supervisory course was in progress for Cable and Wireless Junior Management Personnel.

39. Mr. Field explained that many of his trainees were already in possession of City and Guilds first and second year certificates in Telecommunications before they were employed by Cable and Wireless and his Centre took them to Part II and Part III levels. We discussed Mr. George Ho's proposal for using commercial television for teaching first year Telecommunications students and Mr. Field fully supported the idea.

Comments

40. It is quite clear that there is to be a considerable increase in technical education in Hong Kong with the expansion of the Polytechnic and the construction of additional Technical Institutes. City and Guilds would have a part to play in the colony by offering its technician examinations and helping to assess Chinese craft level examinations. A number of our "800 series" craft courses

would be useful to Hong Kong particularly the coursework schedules if they are suitably translated into Chinese.

41. At present, the question of further technical examinations in Hong Kong has not yet been resolved but if required, the City and Guilds can help in setting up a Hong Kong technical examinations organisation.

Acknowledgements

42. My report would not be complete without acknowledging the help given by Mr. C. L. Old, Mr. Lo King-Man and Mr. Steven Ho of the Hong Kong Polytechnic who planned and organised my programme, and to Mr. C. L. Old, the Hon. J. Canning, Mr. D. C. Tse and Mr. George Ho for their kind hospitality.

Page 30Page 31