ENG-1997 — Page 206

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EDUCATION

educational organisations, and three members nominated by the Director of Education. It aims to enhance the image and professionalism of teachers and to attract more high-calibre young people into the teaching profession.

Technical Education and Industrial Training

A comprehensive system of technical education and industrial training provides the economy with well-trained manpower at all levels. Publicly funded courses are provided by the VTC at two technical colleges, seven technical institutes and 24 training centres. Separate levy-funded authorities provide industrial training for the clothing and construction industries.

Technical Education

Technical education at higher technician level is provided by the VTC's two technical colleges at Chai Wan and Tsing Yi. These offer higher diploma (three years full-time or two years part-time), higher certificate (two or three years part-time) and associateship (two years part-time) courses in applied science, business administration, computing, statistics and mathematics, construction, design, electrical and communications engineering, electronic engineering, hotel, catering and tourism management, information systems and technology, manufacturing engineering/ engineering management and mechanical engineering.

Short courses are also offered to people in employment. In July, 1 512 full-time, 555 part-time day and 1826 part-time evening students graduated from the technical colleges. In November, enrolment totalled 5 269 full-time students on 35 courses, and 1 294 day release and 7 891 evening students on 62 part-time courses.

The seven technical institutes provide technician- and craft-level courses in accounting, applied science, child care, China business studies, clothing technology, commercial studies, computing, construction, design, electrical engineering, electronic engineering, hairdressing, hotel-keeping and tourism, manufacturing engineering, marine engineering, mechanical engineering, motor vehicle engineering, printing and textiles. Technician-level courses are offered for Secondary 5 leavers while craft-level courses are for those who have completed at least Secondary 3. These courses are offered on either a full-time, part-time day release, or part-time evening basis.

In July, 4933 full-time, 1940 mixed full-time, 3 757 part-time day and 7 848 evening students graduated from the technical institutes. In November, the total enrolment in technical institutes was of 10 067 full-time, 3 734 mixed full-time, 11 217 part-time day and 23 601 evening students on some 297 courses.

Industrial Training

Besides offering pre-employment training to new entrants to the labour market, the VTC's 24 training centres also offer upgrading training for in-service personnel at all levels. Some 48 968 full-time and part-time places were available during the year for school leavers and people in employment. Trade tests were offered to workers in automobile, building and civil engineering, electrical, jewellery, machine shop and metal working, plastics, printing and precision tooling trades.

The Construction Industry Training Authority, established in 1975, operates three training centres plus a management training and trade testing centre offering a total of 4 878 full-time and 52 240 part-time training places for the 1997-98 training year.