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Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at the Asia Pacific Lasallian Educators' Congress (APLEC 7) on Lasallian Values in Education: Challenges to Youth in Asia Pacific this morning (December 8):
Brother Patrick, Brothers, Esteemed Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning.
I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity of participating in the Asia Pacific Lasallian Educators' Congress. On behalf of the Hong Kong Government, I wish to extend a warm welcome to you all.
For those of you who have travelled long distances to be here, I hope you enjoy your stay in Hong Kong.
Apart from attending this Congress, I hope you will also make use of your spared time, if any, to experience the vibrancy of our city with the many attractions that are available, enjoy our fabulous cuisine, especially now that we are a Michelin town, and find time to do some Christmas shopping, and I promise you that you will find bargains like no place else.
Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, and we take pride in our unique blend of the East and the West, a rare combination of cultures from around the world. These qualities underpinned our success, and will continue to support our development in the future. In an era of increasing globalisation, we see our multinational and multicultural society as a source of strength. At the same time, we need to maintain the vigour of our education sector while further strengthening our networking and collaboration with the rest of the world.
Here in Hong Kong, our people are without doubt our greatest asset. This has been said many times about many places, but it is particularly true in Hong Kong. Why? First, because Hong Kong is a city with no natural resources of our own, except for our spectacular deep-water harbour. Secondly, in a small externally-oriented economy like ours, it is the vitality, entrepreneurship and hard work of our people that keep us ahead of the game in an increasingly competitive world. Without a doubt, our people are our strength, but with an ageing population and an increasing penchant for high value-added services, we also need to nurture and attract talent to sustain our economic and social wellbeing. For these reasons if for no other, education must be given the highest priority.
Given our close proximity, both geographically and culturally, to the Mainland of China, and our already well-diversified and internationally recognised education system, Hong Kong is well positioned to develop further as a regional education hub. We want to attract more overseas students to visit and study in Hong Kong. In doing so, and by stepping up our student exchange programmes, we hope to nurture a group of young people from around the world who would appreciate the magic that is Hong Kong, and at the same time increase the exposure of our own students to the wider world, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels. We firmly believe that cross-cultural understanding and the interaction of young talent will serve to heighten the overall competitiveness of Hong Kong, and the competitiveness of the Asia Pacific region, in the longer term.
Education takes up about a quarter of our annual public expenditure, the biggest share of the budget pie, amounting to some US$10 billion annually. Starting from the current school year in September, we have extended free education from nine years to 12 years to cover the senior secondary level.
The Government is also committed to improving the quality – not just the quantity - of education. We wish to equip our younger generation with the ability to meet the challenges posed by the 21st century. Globalisation, the explosive growth of information, the advent of information technology and the development of a knowledge-based economy have led to unprecedented worldwide changes. To meet these challenges, we have been reforming basic education in Hong Kong since 2001. Our stated goal is to: "enable every student to attain all-round development in the domains of ethics, intellect, physique, social skills and aesthetics according to his or her own attributes." We certainly hope that our students will go on to seek lifelong learning, be capable of critical, exploratory and innovative thinking, and be able to adapt readily to change. We also want them to develop self-confidence and team spirit, and to strive for prosperity and progress. In short, to look to the future well-being of the nation and the world at large, while realising their own all-round development.
The core values of a Lasallian school include Faith in the Presence of God, Respect for All Persons, Inclusive Community, Quality Education, Concern for the Poor and Social Justice. These values help to prepare students for higher education and a desirable occupation, as well as for the challenges they will face throughout their lives. Lasallian students are expected to learn how to communicate effectively and think critically, take responsibility for their own learning, acquire basic academic life skills as well as address contemporary world problems and issues. Additionally, they also set personal and educational goals based on self-understanding, and develop a sense of well-being and confidence in their abilities. Indeed, the aims of our curriculum reform converge with many of the Lasallian core values - in particular, the shared vision of lifelong learning and all-round development.
Since launching our curriculum reforms in 2001, our schools have been making even greater efforts in offering a broader and more balanced education. Worthy of special mention here are the four key tasks - moral and civic education, reading to learn, project learning, and information technology for interactive learning. They serve to enhance learning and learning capabilities. The three core skills concerned are critical thinking, creativity and communication.
I am glad to say that our reform efforts are beginning to bear fruit. A survey on the curriculum reform conducted in 2006 found that almost all the teachers who responded indicated that they had developed professionally and enhanced their strategies for strengthening student learning. The result is that students' generic capacities in areas, such as communication, creativity and critical thinking have noticeably improved, and they are becoming as more independent learners.
In parallel, more than 98% of school leaders felt that their schools had achieved progress in strengthening and cultivating students' positive values and attitudes since the 2001-02 school year. Similarly, more than 80% of primary and secondary students rated their own performance in positive ways in each of the generic skills. Roughly three out of four of these students also said they had developed positive values and attitudes related to national identity and commitment.
Efforts to help all students acquire basic competence in Chinese and English have reflected some measure of success at both primary and secondary school levels. In short, curriculum reform at the basic education level has clearly had a positive impact on schools, teachers, as well as student learning.
Hong Kong students have also won major awards in international competitions and scored well in various international assessments. In the Programme for International Student Assessment 2006, among 41 countries and regions worldwide, our 15-year-olds ranked 2nd in Science and 3rd in both Mathematics and Reading. In the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2006, our 10-year-olds came 2nd in reading literacy. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007, our students ranked 3rd and 4th in Mathematics and Science respectively. This evidence indicates high and improving standards. In reading - both English and Chinese - and in science and mathematics, our students have shown that they are among the best in the world.
The education reform process has now entered a stage of consolidation and fine-tuning. Next September, we will introduce a new academic structure, which includes three years of Senior Secondary education and four years of undergraduate studies in the tertiary level. This new structure places particular emphasis on literacy in English and Chinese, mathematics, critical thinking and inquiry skills. Students will also take a closer look at contemporary issues, and explore concepts of positive citizenship in Liberal Studies. There will be more collaborative tasks, designed to nurture interpersonal skills. In 2012, we will introduce a single public examination and diploma - the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education. This will provide a more concise record of a student’s achievements, knowledge and abilities. It will also provide a smoother route to higher education or studies overseas. By replacing the two current exit examinations, the new diploma will also allow for more focussed study time.
The new senior secondary curricula are internationally benchmarked, and we have been working closely with international agencies to ensure the diploma's recognition overseas. Our universities have made clear their support for these changes, especially for the more broad-based curriculum, with a wider choice of subjects to suit individual aptitudes and interests.
We have made good progress in preparing for the transition to the new senior secondary system. We have adopted all the necessary support measures, strengthened the professional development programmes for school leaders, middle managers and teachers. We have provided additional funding, ensured that learning resources are ready for use, and enhanced on-site school support and learning communities at different levels. The vast majority of teachers have attended professional development programmes, and have equipped themselves with the expertise and knowledge to teach the relevant subjects, particularly the new core subject of Liberal Studies. We can see the emergence of learning communities and curriculum leaders in schools - both essential as providers of the key driving force behind the reform.
This progress would not have been possible without the good work of our schools and the teachers' firm commitment and support. Schools have also been developing a stronger partnership with parents to communicate the issues involved in reforming the education system. We are fortunate that we have a strong and successful education base to build on, a clear and coherent programme of reform, and most important of all, a dedicated and talented educational workforce - of which the Community of La Salle Brothers is an important part.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have given you a brief account of our many experiences in the area of curriculum reform and in the development of our new senior secondary structure. Both of these areas are designed to help our students face the challenge of the future with confidence and ability.
No doubt, we share the same wishes for our children, and the same challenges in education as our counterparts in the region.
As we complete 2008, we can reflect on what has been a momentous year for our city, our nation and our global village.
We have witnessed the Beijing Olympics, the first space walk by a Chinese astronaut and a devastating earthquake. We are also in the grip of the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression, but this massive financial turbulence will not affect the government's commitment to education.
We look forward to more collaboration in education with our friends from around the region and from around the world. And we will continue to be guided by the Lasallian values as we strive for even greater excellence in education.
Thank you.
Ends/Monday, December 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:25
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