TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 153

subjects, and in commerce, art and design. It has begun to assume responsibility for the training of personnel for various professions required for the development of the medical and social work services. The Institute of Social Work Training was incorporated within the Polytechnic in September 1977. A Health Services Division is being established to provide courses for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and medical laboratory technicians.

The first of these courses will begin in 1978, and may be extended thereafter to cover other para-medical professions.

10.10

Total Government expenditure on all three institutios rose from $33 million in 1965-66 to $320 million in 1975-76. The budget for 1977-78 provides for total expenditure on the universities and Polytechnic in excess of $350 million. This expenditure, on a total student population of some 24,000 (about 18,700 full-time and equivalent part-time) compares with the estimated total expenditure in 1977-78 of $450 million to provide Government or assisted secondary education for some 216,000 students. While expenditure on higher education will continue to rise steeply in order to meet the growth targets indicated in this chapter and other commitments, to raise these targets further might require Government funds to be diverted from other priority areas. The Government will ask the UPGC to have regard to opportunities to curtail expenditure without resulting in lowering of academic standards or other real benefits to the students and the community.

10.11

Regarding the principal legislation governing the institutions, which is the fourth area where there is a direct Government interest, the Legislative Council has already passed a new Ordinance for the Chinese University, and amending legislation for the Polytechnic Ordinance will be introduced in the current session. The new Polytechnic Ordinance will seek to strengthen the Polytechnic's planning and executive machinery, by providing for an enlargement of the Board of Governors (to be restyled the "Council of the Polytechnic"), with staff representation and increased lay membership, and by the creation of a statutory Academic Board.

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