*********************************************************
The Education Bureau (EDB) will hold two consultation forums next week to gauge views from the public on the bureau's proposal to fine-tune the medium of instruction (MOI) policy. These forums, to be chaired by the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, form part of the EDB's effort to consult stakeholders on the issue.
The EDB is proposing to fine-tune the MOI for secondary schools, premised on the principle of safeguarding students' learning effectiveness. Under the proposal, secondary schools will be given greater autonomy and room for development in making a professional judgment on adopting the appropriate MOI at junior secondary levels according to students' learning progress and interests, as well as school circumstances, including teachers' capability and other support measures.
Details of the consultation forums are as follows:
Date: March 12 (Thursday)
March 13 (Friday)
Time: 6.30pm to 8pm (admission to start from 6.15pm)
Venue: Lecture Theatre, 4/F, West Block,
Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre,
19 Suffolk Road, Kowloon Tong.
Contents of the two public forums are the same, and they will be conducted in Cantonese. Interested parties can download the registration form from the EDB's website (www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=7153&langno=1) and return it by fax to 2838 4009 or e-mail to 216@edb.gov.hk on or before March 9.
Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
The EDB is in the course of gauging public views on the proposed arrangements to fine-tune the MOI before finalising the details by the end of May for full implementation in the 2010/11 school year. The bureau earlier met the education sector and parents on the issue.
For information on the fine-tuning arrangements, please visit the dedicated webpage "Medium of Instruction" on the EDB's website (www.edb.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:54
NNNN
