ENG-1974 — Page 97

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EDUCATION

current interest to local commerce and industry or to a sufficient number of individ- uals, the Polytechnic tries to offer short courses to meet the demand. Those in the fields of accountancy, building technology, radar operation, business studies, chemical technology, computing studies, statistics, applied science, and textile studies have proved particularly popular during the year.

Apart from the usual academic activities, the Polytechnic is also the appointed local secretariat for the City and Guilds of London Institute Technological Examina- tions. Statistical information about these examinations conducted at the Polytechnic can be found in Appendix 20.

Morrison Hill Technical Institute

The Morrison Hill Technical Institute, established in September 1969, now consists of six departments-commercial studies, construction, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, preliminary and general studies, and printing since the department of technical teacher and workshop instructor training was detached from the institute and re-established as the Hong Kong Technical Teachers College. The institute operates craft and lower technician level courses on a full-time, block- release, part-time day-release, and part-time evening basis. Short courses in specialised technical-commercial subjects are also provided. Because of the ever-growing popu- larity for the wide range of courses offered by the institute, recent years have witnessed a tremendous increase in student enrolment-during the 1973-4 session, a total of 98 courses were provided. Of the 13,700 students enrolled in these courses, 82 per cent attended courses with entry requirements of below Form V level, while the remaining 18 per cent attended post-secondary courses with entry requirements of at least completion of Form V or equivalent.

As a large number of students attended on a part-time evening basis, the in- stitute made use of 19 external evening centres on both sides of the harbour, including the New Territories, to provide part-time evening courses for more than 11,500 students.

The institute maintains close links with industry, commerce, and the apprentice- ship training unit of the Labour Department to gauge local manpower requirements and plan courses directly relevant to community needs. It is hoped that the department of printing, established last year, will play a major part in meeting the needs of the printing industry for properly trained craftsmen and technicians.

As a result of the efforts and co-operation of the apprenticeship training unit of the Labour Department and the encouraging response and interest shown by industry and commerce, the institute has been able to fulfil an important role in providing part-time day-release training for both craft and technician apprentices in local in- dustry. During the 1973-4 session, the institute enrolled 1,300 registered apprentices sponsored by industry, an increase of 30 per cent over the previous year. The demand for more workshop facilities made expansion of the institute inevitable, and it is hoped that the newly-completed additional floor of the institute will help alleviate the extreme pressure imposed on existing facilities.

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