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Transcript of Secretary for Education on Medium of Instruction Policy
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    Following is a transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, after attending the Symposium on Medium of Instruction Policy today (March 16):

Reporter: When you said that you are fine-tuning the system, are you ruling out there will be major changes to the existing system?

Secretary for Education: I have just pointed out in my speech that we believe the broad direction of the existing policy is correct. There is no need to change that. Basically we feel that the standard of English being taught in schools and the results of examinations can be further improved. That would be the main direction we are heading and that is the fine-tuning is all about.

Reporter: When you said that there is not going to have distinction between English and Chinese medium of instruction, are you saying that every schools can choose in what language they are teaching?

Secretary: I think in the long run, if we can raise the standards of learning so that the students are comfortable in receiving their education in English or Chinese, then the medium of instruction in English or in Chinese doesn't matter to them. That is our wish. Because when they arrive, there is no need to distinguish between whether it is a Chinese speaking school or an English speaking school. That doesn't matter.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Sunday, March 16, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:08

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