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Following is a question by Hon Cheung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (February 27):
Question:
Regarding teachers undertaking the duties of teacher-librarians, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) concerning primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong respectively, whether it knows-
(i) the number and percentage of teacher-librarians with a bachelor's degree or higher qualification, and how the percentage compares to the corresponding percentage of all teachers;
(ii) the number and percentage of teacher-librarians at Graduate Master/Mistress ("GM") ranks, and how the percentage compares to that of GMs among all teachers;
(iii) the number and percentage of teacher-librarians at Assistant Master/Mistress ("AM") rank, and how the percentage compares to that of AMs among all teachers;
(iv) the number of teachers who became teacher-librarians in the past five years and its percentage among all teacher-librarians;
(b) whether it had conducted in the past five years any survey or study on
teacher-librarians teaching subjects other than library lessons; if it did, of the results
of the survey or study; if not, whether it will do so; and
(c) whether it will review afresh the teaching duties of teacher-librarians in the hope
that they can promote reading and support teaching and learning in schools in a more
professional way?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) According to the statistics of the Education Bureau (EDB), there are 20,356 teachers and 534 teacher-librarians in primary schools; and 24,386 teachers and 408 teacher-librarians in secondary schools. The information of (i), (ii) and (iii) are tabulated as follows:
(i) With Bachelor degree or above qualifications
Primary Secondary
Teacher- 401 330
librarians (75%) (81%)
Teachers 16,212 22,877
(80%) (94%)
(ii) Employed at Graduate Master (GM) rank
Primary Secondary
Teacher- 85 79
librarians (16%) (19%)
Teachers 4,896 16,625
(24%) (68%)
(iii) Employed at Assistant Master (AM) rank
Primary Secondary
Teacher- 34 76
librarians (6%) (19%)
Teachers 1,926 1,341
(9%) (5%)
(iv) The EDB does not have the exact figures. However, according to the Code of Aid, all newly appointed teacher-librarians are required to study and complete a part-time day release training course or other professional training courses organised by the EDB. For reference, the statistics of the newly appointed teacher-librarians taking the EDB induction course for the previous five years are shown as follows:
School No. of new No. of percentage
year teacher- teacher-
librarians librarians
2002/03 87 1,010 9%
2003/04 94 1,000 9%
2004/05 85 1,039 8%
2005/06 91 992 9%
2006/07 64 942 7%
(b) The EDB conducts a survey on teacher-librarians annually. The figures of the 2006/07 school year are shown as follows:
No. of lessons
(including
both library Primary Secondary Total
and non-library
lessons)
0 4% 20% 11%
1~5 3% 15% 8%
6~10 10% 27% 17%
11~15 26% 19% 23%
16~20 20% 13% 17%
21~25 21% 5% 14%
26~30 11% 1% 7%
31 or above 5% 0% 3%
Total 100% 100% 100%
Remark: The survey result of the 2007/08 school year will be announced later this year. Figures on library lessons and non-library lessons will be distinguished.
(c) We have always paid attention to the professional work of teacher-librarians. We have, through curriculum visits, seed projects, professional training activities and focus-group interviews, etc., promoted and evaluated the educational function of teacher-librarians and assisted them in promoting reading and supporting teaching and learning at schools in a more professional manner.
Ends/Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:33
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