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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the debate on the "Motion of Thanks" in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Madam President,
I am grateful for the interest and the valuable views expressed by Members in the programme areas of education and employment during the debates on the 1998 Policy Address.
First, let me respond to Members' views on manpower and employment.
Manpower Policy
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Employment forms part of our manpower policy. I shall give Members a brief outline of the Government's short-term and long-term measures in this area.
I. Tackling Unemployment
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Firstly, on the unemployment front, the Government is acutely aware of the concern of Members and the public over the high unemployment rate and the difficulties faced by the unemployed. In fact, since the beginning of this year, and this was long before the delivery of the 1998 Policy Address, the Government has been actively and continuously implementing a series of short-term and medium-term measures to help the unemployed re-enter the workforce as soon as possible
In June this year, the Government set up the Task Force on Employment under the chairmanship of the Financial Secretary. With representatives from employers, employees, academics, training service providers and the Government, the Task Force aims to tap the collective wisdom of various sectors in its endeavours to formulate feasible and effective initiatives, in a pragmatic manner, to tackle the unemployment problem and create job opportunities. Hitherto, the Task Force has met five times and introduced 19 measures. All these measures are in full swing, with some of them already having effect.
(a) On employment services, the Labour Department is providing a full range of enhanced employment services. In spite of the increasing number of people unemployed in the past months, the Labour Department has succeeded in finding jobs for more job-seekers. The figure stands at an average of 4,000 persons each month.
(b) On training and retraining, all the additional training programmes specifically for the unemployed and secondary school leavers have commenced. In order that more unemployed people may benefit from re-training, the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) will expand its training capacity by 6 000 to 79000, resulting in an increase of its total expenditure to $396 million this year, representing a growth of 80% over 1997-98. Moreover, in this year's Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that an additional grant of $500 million would be provided for ERB to ensure that it has adequate resources to expand its training capacity and improve the quality of its courses for the unemployed over the next few years. Together with this $500 million, the Government will have altogether provided $1.6 billion for ERB. This clearly underlines the Government's commitment to providing re-training for the unemployed.
(c) On promoting further education, classes for the additional 1 000 Secondary 5 places in Government evening schools commenced last month. Six universities and tertiary institutions have increased their intake at the taught post-graduate level in 1998-99. The Government has extended the Non-Means-Tested Loan Scheme to benefit an additional 61 000 tertiary students, including those at the Open University. The Student Financial Assistance Agency has started receiving applications for the loan.
Tackling unemployment is a difficult and on-going task. The Government and the Task Force on Employment will continue to put in their utmost efforts to identify more job opportunities with a view to helping the unemployed rejoin the workforce and sustain their employability in the longer term.
II. Employment Prospects
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Although Hong Kong's economy is still going through an adjustment period, the latest data indicate that the unemployment situation has started to stabilise.
In fact, despite rising unemployment since the beginning of this year, the total number of employed people remains at the level of around 3.1 to 3.2 million, which is more or less unchanged compared with that of last year. And there are still increases in job vacancies in some industries. We should therefore not lose confidence in the economic and employment prospects of Hong Kong.
According to Government's assessment in June, there will be at least 100 000 vacancies in the labour market during the period between the middle of this year and the end of next year. These vacancies mainly arise from the implementation of Government's major initiatives, infrastructural projects and other works programmes, and partly from the creation of posts to meet the needs of the civil service. As at mid-September this year, about 15 000 posts have been created and it is expected that another 21 000 non-government posts will be created from mid September this year to the end of next year.
The Government will evaluate the latest progress on creation of jobs with reference to the initiatives and commitments announced in this year's Policy Address. The results of the evaluation will be announced in due course.
III. Labour Relations
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Before going into the long-term plans for our manpower resource development, I would like to respond to Members' views on the problem of retrenchments and pay adjustments. The Government is very concerned about the effects of retrenchments and pay cuts on the employees concerned and their families.
I cannot stress more the importance of harmonious labour relations maintaining Hong Kong's economic competitiveness during the current period of economic adjustment. The Government hopes that all employers who are hard pressed by the economic downturn should discuss their difficulties with their employees, so as to work out arrangements which are acceptable to all. To facilitate effective communication, the Labour Department has drawn up Guidelines for employers and employees on what to do in cases of wage reductions and retrenchments. These Guidelines have the general support of the Labour Advisory Board.
Let me call on employers and employees to face the present difficult times in a spirit of togetherness and to follow the Guidelines in resolving problems over pay cuts and in a calm and rational manner.
IV. A long-term plan to invest in human capital
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Human capital is the most valuable resource in Hong Kong and quality human resources contribute significantly to Hong Kong's economic development. We should not let the temporary unemployment problem blind us to the importance of long-term strategies. Instead, we should make the best of the slackening labour market by putting in place a practical long-term plan to ensure that Hong Kong has a well-trained, adaptable, versatile and competitive workforce. To this end, we will pursue several strategic plans.
First:
We will undertake a comprehensive study of the best practice in manpower forecasting and develop a manpower forecasting model best suited to Hong Kong for the next ten years. We will complete the study in 1999.
Second:
We will study the manpower and training needs of our major service sector industries. A study on travel and tourism is under way and will be completed by the end of this year. Another study on the Information Technology sector will commence soon and will be completed in 1999.
Third:
The Vocational Training Council (VTC) plans to integrate its existing two Technical Colleges and seven Technical Institutes by the end of 2002 into one coherent management, academic and training structure, known as the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, to enhance VTC's quality as well as cost-effectiveness.
Fourth:
To support VTC's long-term development, the Government will provide a grant of $176 million for it to implement a comprehensive strategy to enhance its information technology infrastructure and services. This exercise will be completed in 2001-2002.
Fifth:
We will develop a qualifications framework for VTC's programmes and ERB's retraining programmes. This will provide an objective yardstick for assessing the skills standards of trainees and will help secure employers' confidence in, and recognition of, the qualifications. The ultimate aim of the mechanism is to establish a well-structured education and training ladder to allow the trainees to raise their skills standards and qualifications gradually. We plan to draw up the initial proposal by the end of 1999.
Education Policy
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I am pleased to hear that Members in general support the Hong Kong SAR Government's education policy. To promote Hong Kong's long term development, we must provide good education for our younger generation. Our young people must be well-equipped with the necessary skills, a broad perspective as well as a positive attitude in order to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.
The overall objective of our education policy is to enhance the quality of education. We have to continuously reform and update the education system to ensure that it can meet the ever changing needs of the schools, the community and the world. The Government also needs to continuously build on its present foundation. Our aim is to develop students' potentials, foster their independent thinking, and nurture their commitment to their families, the community and the country.
Reform and development are the two foci of the education policy of the Hong Kong SAR Government. I would like to take this opportunity to explain our work.
I. Reform of the Education System and Structure
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Review of the Education System
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Each and every element of our education system must be closely co-ordinated. In order to enhance the overall quality of education and foster the long-term development of our community, the Chief Executive has in his Policy Address last year asked the Education Commission (EC) to conduct a comprehensive review of the education system, from the pre-primary to tertiary level, the scope of which will cover the goals of education, curricula, assessment methods, the duration of the various education stages and the interface between stages. During the review, the EC will also establish a mechanism to assess the overall performance of students at each stage of education, evaluating their level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. EC has already started the review and it will consult the education sector and the public extensively in the course of the review.
Review of the Education-related Executive and Advisory Structure
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To promote quality education, the collaboration of the executive and advisory structure is of the essence. We have recently conducted reviews of the advisory bodies and the Education Department. In the review of the advisory bodies, it has been affirmed that the Government will continue to further its partnership with these bodies. The EC, as the most important advisory body, will co-ordinate the efforts of other advisory bodies for the purpose of helping Government to formulate education policies.
Reform of the Education Department
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On the review of the Education Department, as the three-month consultation period has ended, we will take a final view on the broad principles and direction for reform after we have collated the views expressed by the education sector and the public. We will propose the setting up of a special ad-hoc group within the Education Department to be responsible for formulating the implementation details by early 1999, and for implementing the reform initiatives by stages. We will also propose the setting up of a steering committee under the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) to monitor the progress of the reform. This steering committee will comprise representatives from the various education-related advisory bodies and frontline educators, to ensure that the Government and the education community work hand in hand to enhance the overall effectiveness of services rendered by the school education system. Moreover, the steering committee seek to rationalize the relationship between the Education Department and schools, based on the principle of school-based management.
In the course of the reform, the vested interests of a number bodies and individuals will be inevitably affected. But nobody should doubt our determination to carry through the reform. I therefore appeal to colleagues of the Education Department as well as members of the education sector to keep an open mind and to work together to accomplish this task which I acknowledge will be the single most formidable and important mission in the area of education for the coming two years.
II. Formulation and Implementation of Initiatives to Improve the Quality of Education
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At present, there are more than 1.1 million students receiving education in over 1,000 schools in Hong Kong. The Government's responsibilities in the provision of education are heavy and the road before us is long. The Chinese proverb "Learning is like riding a boat upstream, either it forges ahead or it will be driven back" is applicable to individuals as well as to the Government. That is why we have over the years developed new initiatives to improve the present system, and review from time to time the existing practices to ensure the education system as a whole can meet the changing needs of the society and the economy. Now, I would like to take this opportunity to brief you on the latest position regarding the more significance of our initiatives.
Information Technology in Education
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We are in an information age. We must make it our prime objective to promote IT in education to broaden the knowledge of our young people and strengthen the link between Hong Kong and the world. We are finalising our five-year strategy for IT in education and will formulate an implementation plan shortly in the light of comments received during the consultation period. We must ensure that the Government, schools, parents, community organisations, the business sector and the whole community will collaborate to enable young people to benefit the most from the use of IT in learning. Not only will IT motivate students to learn, it will also help them develop a creative mind and independent thinking. More importantly, it will encourage and facilitate their self-learning and lifelong learning.
The Government has been implementing a series of measures since 1997 to promote IT in education and has just announced a number of additional measures. The capital expenditure involved will exceed $3.3 billion and the recurrent expenditure will be about $560 million per year.
School-based Management
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Our target is for all schools to practise school-based management by 2002. As announced in this year's Policy Address, from the year 1999-2000 onwards, we will provide on average $120,000 for each primary school and $155,000 for each secondary school so that they may employ contract staff or acquire the necessary equipment to cope with the additional administrative work incurred.
Whole-day Primary Schools
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Last year's Policy Address set the target for the implementation of whole-day primary schools, which is to enable 60% of our primary school students to study in whole-day schools in the 2002/03 school year. This year the Policy Address further announced a longer term objective which is for virtually all primary students to enjoy whole-day schooling in the 2007/08 school year. In pursuing this objective, we have to reluctantly continue with the interim measure of slightly adjusting class size in primary schools and suspend the reduction of class size in secondary schools. Our aim is to pool land resources to accelerate the implementation of whole-day primary schools. I must point out that whilst we have slightly adjusted the class size, we have also strengthen support to schools and teachers, including the provision of an additional 910 clerical staff for primary and secondary schools as well as an additional 1,117 secondary school teachers and 650 primary school teachers in the 1998/99 to 2001/02 school years. It should also be noted that whole day primary schools have a higher teacher to class ratio than bisessional schools. In fact, the student to teacher ratio for primary schools is projected to improve in the current and next school years. We will continue to seek resources, or to resort to other means, to provide conditions conducive to better teaching for teachers.
High Quality Teaching
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The Chief Executive announced in this year's Policy Address that the Hong Kong Institute of Education will be developed into a degree-awarding teaching training institute. In the 1999-2000 school year, we will start progressively to upgrade the 2400 pre-service teacher training sub-degree places provided by the Institute, and provide instead places at degree or above level at both the Institute and other tertiary institutions.
Moreover, to improve further the quality and professionalism of our teachers, we will earmark a one-off provision of $20 million to set up a General Teaching Council. The preparatory committee under the Education Commission will publish a consultation document by the end of this year to consult the public and the education community on the specific arrangements for the setting up of the Council.
Development of Bi-literacy and Tri-lingualism
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The Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications is developing language benchmarks for all new and serving teachers with a view to enhancing the language proficiency of students. Some Members are of the view that in the course of promoting mother tongue teaching, we need also to raise the English language standard of students. We cannot agree with this more. In fact, we will assist Chinese-medium secondary schools to improve their teaching of English. One measure is to provide additional English teachers for these schools, up to a maximum of four teachers per school. We have also requested the Board of Education and the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research to work together to study how to promote mother tongue teaching more effectively and how to enhance students' proficiency in both the English and the Chinese languages.
Development of Higher Education
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For the past ten years, our higher education has seen very rapid development and it is an area in which we have invested heavily. It is now time for the tertiary institutions to consolidate and strive for quality. We hope that the institutions can develop their academic strengths into "areas of excellence" which will be recognised internationally, so that Hong Kong will become a first-class international research centre. On the other hand, we are delighted to observe that the tertiary institutions have followed the recommendations of last year's Policy Address and started to admit students who excel in non-academic areas. This is a clear indicator that besides academic achievement, our tertiary institutions also recognise outstanding performance in other areas such as social service, sports and arts.
Continuing Education
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Some Members opine that we should provide more education opportunities for the workforce to allow them to receive continuing and professional education. I totally agree with and support this view. I hope that the Open University of Hong Kong and other institutions can actively provide more continuing education courses to train up our workforce and to meet the economic needs of our society.
III. Resource Allocation
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With the amount of resources the Government is putting into education, it has become the largest biggest public expenditure item. Therefore, I would like to spend some time on the subject of resource allocation. The education policy of the Government has all along been to provide equal opportunity for students to receive education. But equal opportunity does not mean equal distribution of resources. The Government provides more resources and additional assistance to students with special needs. For example, we will install air-conditioning in 17 schools for physically and severely mentally handicapped children to improve their learning environment. I understand that the LegCo Panel on Education will set up a working group to follow up on the issue of providing air-conditioning for these schools, and to examine whether the facilities of the schools for physically handicapped children are adequate. I look forward to receiving the suggestions of the working group. We will also provide assistance to students with financial difficulties to ensure that students will not be deprived of the opportunity to receive education due to a lack of means. Starting from the 1998-1999 academic year, we will extend the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme (NLS) to more students; and starting from the 1999-2000 academic year, the assessment criteria on family income of the Local Student Finance Scheme (LSFC) will be relaxed so as to relieve the financial burden of low-income families in providing education for their children.
Under the principle of equal opportunities for students, we do not only allocate more resources to help needy students, but we also encourage individual schools to strive for excellence. One of the aims of the newly-established $5 billion Quality Education Fund is to promote school-based initiatives and enhance the quality of education. All schools can apply to the Fund for grants and 350 schools have been successful in their applications. We have also proposed that an award scheme be set up under the Quality Education Fund to give proper recognition to outstanding schools and teachers. This will not only encourage schools and teachers to strive for continuous improvements, but will also set good examples for others to follow, thereby promoting useful experiences and good practices across the education sector.
Likewise, on IT in education, apart from the provision of standard facilities and technical support, we will also allow the more proactive schools to obtain more resources. For example, they will be able to employ IT Co-ordinators to help implement their IT plans. The purpose of this arrangement is to cater for the different paces of IT development of schools to meet the different needs of students. It will encourage those schools which are still hesitant in embracing IT to adopt a more positive attitude. It will also help to promote the IT culture among schools, and to disseminate best practices in the use of IT in teaching.
Education is the most important investment of the Hong Kong SAR Government. Despite the present economic downturn, the Government will increase its spending on education in the next financial year. The recurrent expenditure on education will increase to a total of almost $44 billion. With increasing investment in education, we must ensure that resources are used in an appropriate and cost-effective manner. The Government has to work with the constraint of limited resources and face up to the perennial problems of setting priority and determining the relative allocation of funds to individual items. I would be happy to discuss this question of choices and priorities with Members of this Council on suitable occasions..
Conclusion
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I would like to thank Members once again for your interest in manpower and education. In the time available, I have not been able to respond to all your comments. But I look forward to further discussions with you at the meetings of the respective LegCo Education and Manpower Panels in due course.
End/Wednesday, November 4, 1998
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