TNAG-1603-FCO40-2210-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1987 — Page 66

(b)

Education

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58.

Some 17% of total public expenditure was devoted to the Hong

Kong education system last year, more than on any other single item

of government activity. During the year the Hong Kong overnment

pressed ahead with its secondary schools building programme

further 36 schools

1990.

are scheduled for completion between now and

On present progress, the full demand for places in forms 4

and 5 of secondary schools should be met by 1991.

A Chinese

ensure

Textbooks Committee was established whose task will be to

that an adequate supply of good quality textbooks will be available

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

59.

and

in

Hong Kong,

The report contains

education, pre-school

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

give consolidated advice on educational policy

released its second report in September.

far-reaching recommendations for sixth form

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.

1

The new

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

university will be a

grouping of professional schools emphasising

science, technology, management and business studies

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

which time 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

It

is

the Hong

61.

Hong Kong now has five degree awarding institutions:

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,

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