TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 226

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intended to illustrate how the theory works. Training, on the

other hand, is seen as the acquisition and practice of skills, and

theoretical instruction in training is confined to the minimum

necessary for the learner to attain the level of proficiency required

for his vocation. This distinction is the basis for the principle

followed so far in Hong Kong under which the government is responsible

for providing "technical education" through the technical institutes,

the Polytechnic and the universities; and industry itself is

responsible for providing "training" either at the place of work or,

where in-plant facilities are inadequate, in special training centres

to be established by industry with funds collected through industry

levies.

2.56

It

Thus, craft and technician level courses in educational

institutions in Hong Kong are organised mainly on a part-time day-

release or block-release basis to fit in with apprenticeship schemes

and to facilitate the interplay between education and training.

will be seen from the chart at appendix E that a Form III leaver,

even on completing a one-year full-time craft course in a technical

institute, is not regarded as a qualified craftsman until he has

completed his apprenticeship and further part-time studies in the

technical institute. He is, however, exempted from the first year

of apprenticeship (an exemption which is also granted to Form III

leavers from prevocational schools because of the stronger technical

bias of the prevocational school curriculum). The Apprenticeship

Ordinance has undoubtedly brought about significant improvements

in the training of technical manpower. Since its enactment in 1976,

37 trades have been specified as "designated trades" (i.e. trades

for which apprenticeships are mandatory) under the Ordinance and

some 15,000 apprenticeship contracts have accordingly been registered.