rehabilitation of disabled persons will be reviewed comprehensively in 1991 with the intention of publishing a Green Paper in the second half of the year. The Green Paper will set out proposals to ensure that the needs of disabled persons will continue to be met in the next decade and beyond.
43. In the field of education, the Hong Kong Government have adopted a two-pronged strategy for the 1990s; to increase the number of places for tertiary education and to improve the quality of education at primary and secondary schools.
44. Detailed measures to increase the provision of first year degree places from 7,000 in 1989-90 to 15,000 by 1994–95 (an increase from 8 per cent to 18 per cent of the 17-20 age group) were submitted by local tertiary institutions in early 1990 and accepted for implementation. The establishment of the new University of Science and Technology also proceeded according to schedule with the first intake of students expected in October 1991.
45. After studying the problems brought on by the implementation of nine years of free and compulsory education in the early 1980s, the Education Commission published its findings in its fourth report in November. Wide-ranging recommendations on reforming the curriculum, introducing assessment standards and associated tests, enhancing student counselling, implementing whole-day schooling for senior primary classes and setting out a new approach for the adoption of an appropriate medium of instruction for schools, are currently the subject of public consultation. These measures, if accepted, will improve the quality of primary and secondary education in the coming decade.
46. The year also saw vigorous efforts to implement the 100 initiatives set out in the 1989 White Paper on Pollution. Cleaner air resulted from more stringent legislation compelling factories to reduce the sulphur content of fuel oil. Control of factory and vehicle smoke emissions was tightened, and planning was well advanced for the introduction of unleaded petrol in early 1991.
47. The Water Pollution Control (Amendment) Ordinance was brought into operation on 1 December, imposing stricter controls and new standards on industrial discharges. As part of the Waste Disposal Plan, the first Refuse Transfer Station opened at Kowloon Bay, thus permitting the closure of an urban landfill and an incinerator. A contract was also awarded for the establishment of a Chemical Waste Treatment Centre.
48. In a wider environmental context, the international ban on ivory trading, which came into force on 18 January 1990, severely affected workers and traders in ivory. It was necessary for the Government to enter a six-month reservation on Hong Kong's behalf to allow more time for the orderly disposal of the local stock of legally-acquired ivory and for retraining ivory workers. Since 17 July 1990, however, Hong Kong has complied fully with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
49. During 1989-90 public housing construction in the Territory reached a record number of about 54,000 flats compared to the private sector's total of about 34,000 flats. Ninety-nine thousand people were offered new, subsidised accommodation under a comprehensive redevelopment programme and various other clearance programmes.
50. To satisfy the growing aspiration for home purchase, the Housing Authority expanded its home ownership programme. In 1990–91, 16,500 flats will be offered for sale under the programme, and up to 3,500 interest-free loans will be offered to tenants of public housing flats and to low-income households, to help them purchase their own private flats. Two other new initiatives are worthy of note: the finalisation of a proposal to sell quality rental flats to tenants in public housing estates, and the launching of a quality assurance programme for the housing design and construction process. The first will provide more opportunity for home ownership, while the second will ensure better quality housing in the years ahead.
XI. Civil Service
51. The Hong Kong Government have for many years given suitable local candidates preference in recruitment to the Civil Service. The result has been an increasing number of local officers in the more senior ranks. On 1 October 1990, 70 per cent of the 3,963 officers
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