TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 378

5.

the Polytechnic into the 1980s will have uncomfortable implications

for Hong Kong's economic prosperity and social well-being: hence its

recommendation that there should be a survey of all tertiary and higher

level education, taking fully into account the type and range of courses

offered by the Polytechnic and the technical institutes.

8.6

The Advisory Committee on Diversification (ACD) has expressed

concern that the current higher education targets may not produce sufficient skilled and/or professionally trained personnel (particularly

in the technological field) to meet the demands of potential students and

the needs of the economy; that the technical institutes should achieve

greater flexibility of response to the needs of industry; and that part-

time adult education should be a means for upgrading Hong Kong's manpower.

8.7

The increase in fees and other restrictions which curtail the

numbers of Hong Kong students obtaining places in tertiary institutions

overseas, the likely increase in the number of post-sixth form candidates

suitable for further education as a result of the expansion of secondary

education, and the necessity to establish the right mix of educational

opportunities so as to produce a balance of trained manpower suitable for

probable employment demands are factors to be taken into account in

securing a balance between social and economic demand in the provision

of higher education in Hong Kong. The apparent conflict between social

demand (given the characteristic respect for education shown by the Hong Kong community) and the needs of the economy is a source of general

concern in regard to senior secondary and tertiary education, a widespread criticism of the 1978 White Paper being that it stressed economic needs

at the expense of individual development.

8.8

The views on education expressed by ten unofficial members of Legislative Council during the debate on the Governor's opening address

(The following summary were centred on the various themes shown below.