TNAG-0795-FCO40-999-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1978 — Page 88

Chapter 3: The broad approach in educational planning

3.1 The Government expressed the aim in the Green Paper of providing a range of opportunities, mainly in senior secondary forms, technical institutes and adult education centres, for students wishing to continue their education on a subsidised basis after completing Form III. It noted that the present curriculum in senior secondary forms is not suited to the aptitude and inclinations of all students in the age range and that most of those who are likely to complete successfully an academic course leading to an examination such as the Certificate of Education Examination are within the top 40% of the ability spectrum. Such considerations influenced the proposed rate of provision of subsidised senior secondary places.

3.2 While these remain important considerations which must influence planning, other factors should also be taken into account. First, the Government does not wish the new central arrangements for selection and allocation at Form III to constitute a major hurdle for students in the junior secondary forms. The selection process ought if possible to become a guide to the school and the student on the most suitable avenue for his continued education. Second, the raising of private non-profit-making schools to fully-aided status, as discussed in Chapter 5, provides a suitable opportunity to provide a higher proportion of senior secondary places. In view of these considerations, the Government will seek to increase the number of subsidised senior secondary places beyond the target proposed in the Green Paper. Details of the new expansion programme are given in Chapter 4.

3.3 In formulating proposals on the rate of expansion of publicly-provided or subvented places in tertiary education (i.e. all types of post-school education for which completion of at least five years of secondary education is normally required), the Green Paper attempted to reconcile the following factors:-

(i)

student demand for tertiary education;

(ii)

the proportion of students capable of meeting the academic standards which the courses require;

(iii)

the likely manpower demand for persons of a good general education or with special qualifications, and the capacity of the economy to provide satisfactory and rewarding employment for such highly-educated people.

3.4 While it is desirable that the Government should help people to realise their educational goals, the latter are partly influenced by the student's ambitions for his own career. A study of the relationship between educational attainment and subsequent earnings for the working population as a whole, using data from the 1976 By-census, has indicated that a higher level of educational attainment improves a student's prospects of higher earnings substantially. This feature in part explains the preference of many young people for continuing in full-time academic study rather than for starting work. On the other hand, the overproduction of graduates who have no chance of following careers appropriate to their skills and attainments causes social problems which are all too evident in many overseas countries.

3.5 A further factor to be taken into account is that at present many Hong Kong students obtain higher education overseas, but these openings may not always be available. It is necessary to ensure that adequate educational opportunities are available within the local commu- nity.

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