TNAG-1836-FCO40-2611-Executive-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-meet-1989 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

011/2

39

112755

MDLIAN 8627

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2951

OF 0709OOZ SEPTEMBER 89

38

TOP CUPY Q DIST?

HONG KONG TELNOS 2825: EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT THE PART I MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HELD ON 5 SEPTEMBER 1989, THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL ORDERED THAT -

(A) THE FOLLOWING POLICY PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE MEMORANDUM ON

EDUCATION STRATEGY BE IMPLEMENTED:

(1) IN THE SCHOOLS SECTOR, ATTENTION SHOULD NOW FOCUS ON MEASURES AIMED AT IMPROVING STANDARDS AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION:

(2) IN THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SECTOR

(I) THE NUMBER OF FIRST YEAR, FIRST DEGREE PLACES PLANNED FOR THE YEAR 1994-95 SHOULD BE INCREASED FROM 12.9 PER CENT TO NO LESS THAN 18 PER CENT, THAT IS FROM 10,510 TO APPROXIMATELY 15,000 PLACES:

(II) TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS INCREASE IS ACHIEVED BY INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF DEGREE PLACES OFFERED AT THE TWO POLYTECHNICS, STUDIES AT SUB-DEGREE LEVEL SHOULD BE PROVIDED AT TECHNICAL

INSTITUTES OPERATED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL :

(III) THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE SHOULD REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF (I) ABOVE IN 1993-94, WITH A VIEW TO DETERMINING WHETHER FURTHER EXPANSION IS DESIRABLE OR PRACTICABLE

DURING THE PERIOD 1995-2000.

SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS BY FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND SUBJECT TO THE ADMINISTRATION INSISTING THAT THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS SHOULD -

(1) NOT ACHIEVE INCREASED PROVISION AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITY, RATHER ACADEMIC STANDARDS SHOULD BE IMPROVED:

(2) NOT PUSH THE PROVISION OF MORE TERTIARY EDUCATION PLACES AT A

PACE FASTER THAN THE WHOLE EDUCATION SYSTEM COULD MATCH:

(3) PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO IMPROVING GRADUATES' LANGUAGE SKILLS (IN THIS REGARD THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION'S WORKING GROUP ON LANGUAGE TRAINING SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL