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The Working Group on Development of Textbooks and E-learning Resources will hold three public forums this month and early next month to get the views of parents, teachers and the public about the development of printed textbooks and e-learning resources.
The first forum will be on Saturday (February 7) at the Sha Tin Town Hall.
The forums will be chaired by the Chairperson of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, Prof Wong Po-choi. The Under Secretary for Education and chairman of the working group, Mr Kenneth Chen, will attend.
The working group has discussed the development and pricing of printed textbooks and the modes of development of e-learning resources. It is understood that there are diverse views in the community about this issue such as the quality and price of printed textbooks and how e-learning and teaching resources can meet the needs of students and teachers.
The working group will hold public forums on Hong Kong Island, and in Kowloon and the New Territories to get the views of parents, teachers and the public.
Details of the public forums are:
(1) 10am-12.30pm on February 7 (Saturday)
Sha Tin Town Hall, 1 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin, New Territories
(2) 7-9.30pm on February 27 (Friday)
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre, 60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
(3) 10am-12.30pm on March 7 (Saturday)
North Point Kaifong Welfare Advancement Association Dr Seaker Chan Shui Kui Hall, 210 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong
Topics for discussion include the quality and price of printed textbooks and the development of e-learning resources. For details, please visit ¡§What¡¦s New¡¨ on the Education Bureau website (www.edb.gov.hk). Members of the public are welcome to attend the forums. No registration is required. For enquiries, please call the secretariat of the working group at 2762 1517.
With this issue having significant impact on learning and teaching, the working group will also conduct a questionnaire survey of principals and teachers and co-organise two student forums with the ¡§Hong Kong 200 Association¡¨ of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups to get views from a wider cross-section of the community.
¡§The Education Bureau adopts an open attitude to the development of printed textbooks and e-learning resources. Views obtained from the forums and the questionnaire survey will help the working group to conduct indepth discussions for putting forward feasible and representative recommendations to the Secretary for Education by the end of this year,¡¨ Mr Chen said.
¡§We hope that all stakeholders will actively express their views to help the bureau formulate a long-term policy, ¡§he added.
The Government set up the Working Group on Development of Textbooks and E-learning Resources last October. Members include various stakeholders such as information technology experts, primary and secondary school principals and teachers, publishers, parents and community members.
Ends/Thursday, February 5, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:00
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