TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 103

Chapter 7: The development of adult education

7.1 Education is a continuing life-long process, and the Government welcomes the development of educational opportunities for mature students. Many such opportunities are already available in Hong Kong through a rich variety of social, educational, cultural and recrea- tional activities provided by many private and public organisations. The Government's contribution has come through the courses provided by the Education Department or by publicly-financed institutions of higher education. In future, the Government will, as discussed later in this chapter, introduce a scheme of subvention for those voluntary organisations which organize "retrieval" education courses i.e. courses designed specifically to meet the needs of those who do not have the advantage of a strong formal education. Other types of privately-run adult education courses will not be subsidised by the Government, as mature students should normally be expected to meet the cost through their earnings.

7.2 The development of part-time degrees has been described in the preceding chapter. The universities at present provide a range of non-degree courses, including informal courses, through their Extra-Mural Departments. These will continue to develop with the growth of the universities and no change in their financing policy is envisaged. The part-time courses of technical education at the Hong Kong Polytechnic and technical institutes also represent an important part of continuing education.

7.3 The activities of the Education Department's Adult Education Section include the running of secondary education courses using the facilities of Government and aided schools. These courses provide an additional avenue for students who want to take their education to the senior secondary level but who are unable to study during the day-time. It is the Government's intention to expand these courses to meet demand from suitable applicants. Such courses have hitherto not usually been able to cover the full senior secondary curriculum because they lacked access to laboratories and other special rooms. With effect from September 1979, the Government proposes to make the necessary payments to enable such access to be provided and the services obtained of laboratory technicians and other professional support staff.

7.4 The Education Department provides a range of "retrieval" general education courses. These will be continued. The administration of the Department's adult education courses will be strengthened by the appointment of co-ordinators and specialist advisers, with additional administrative support in the adult education section. The main thrust of the Government's policy for developing retrieval adult education courses will be directed to assisting voluntary organisations to complement and supplement the Education Department's own courses. A scheme of subvention will be introduced for that purpose. Suitable courses for subvention might include:

(a)

courses designed to improve basic literacy in Chinese;

(b)

general education for particular groups, such as factory workers and fisherfolk (including re-orientation to land-based living);

(c)

re-orientation and Cantonese-language courses for newcomers to Hong Kong from other parts of Asia;

(d)

social and moral education;

(e)

7.5

activities in geographical areas not covered by the Education Department's services.

Non-profit-making voluntary organisations will be invited to propose suitable courses in terms of these guidelines, which will be subvented on a project basis (i.e. not annually

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