TNAG-1456-FCO40-1980-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 62

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1991.

A Chinese

and 5 of secondary schools should be met by

Textbooks Committee was established whose task will be to ensure

that an adequate supply of good quality textbooks will be available

to schools wishing to adopt Chinese as the medium of instruction.

59.

The Education Commission, set up in April 1984 to co-ordinate

and give consolidated advice on educational policy in Hong Kong,

released its second report in September.

The report contains

far-reaching recommendations for sixth form education, pre-school

education, teacher preparation, open education and the financing of

the education system. Public comment has been invited on its

proposals and considerable debate has been generated. The Hong Kong

Government expects to make decisions on the implementation of the

report's recommendations in early 1987, following completion of the

period of public consultation.

60.

In 1986 the Hong Kong Government announced its intention to

establish a third university in the territory. A committee to

oversee the planning of the new institution has now been established

with distinguished Local and overseas membership.

The new

university will be a grouping of professional schools emphasising

science, technology management and business studies.

It is

expected that it will admit its first students in the early 1990s by

which time the

the number of first-year, first degree places available

to Hong Kong students will have risen to 8,300 compared with the

present figure of 4,200.

61.

Hong Kong now has five degree awarding institutions: the Hong Kong and Chinese universities, the two polytechnics and the Baptist

College. In 1986 there were 16,000 students

on degree courses and

additional programmes will be introduced this year. At present, proposals for new degree Courses at Hong Kong Polytechnic, City Polytechnic and Baptist College are assessed by the United Kingdom

Council for National Academic Awards. A Planning Committee on

Academic Awards has been appointed to make recommendations on the

establishment of a system

for validation of courses within Hong

Kong.

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