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VI. Education
Guiding Principle
150. Education accounts for about one-fifth of total government expenditure, the highest among all policy areas. Since reunification, the Government has introduced many education reform initiatives, leading to a notable enhancement of education in Hong Kong in terms of both quality and quantity. The New Senior Secondary academic structure has begun to bear fruit and gained international recognition. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service of the United Kingdom has confirmed that the tariff points awarded for the highest level of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination are higher than those awarded for the highest grade in the General Certificate of Education A Level or International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Also, Hong Kong Primary Four students ranked first in reading literacy in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2011. Hong Kong also ranked third in a recent global study by the Pearson Group on education systems. With greater access to senior secondary and post-secondary education, we expect that in two years, over one-third of the relevant age cohort will have the opportunity to pursue degree-level education. Taking sub-degree places into account, nearly 70% of young people will have access to post-secondary education. There have also been continuous improvements to our student financial assistance schemes to ensure that no student is deprived of education for lack of financial means.
151. I believe it is time to consolidate our education policies, and avoid drastic changes to give stakeholders some respite. Our future priority will be to ensure the quality of our education by further improving relevant measures in accordance with existing policies.
Education Planning
152. We will work in collaboration with the education sector to tackle the impact of a changing student population. To address the transient decline in Secondary One student population in the coming few years, the Education Bureau (EDB) will implement a series of measures to help preserve our schools, the teaching force and the strengths of our education sector. These measures will help stabilise the teaching force and balance the needs and concerns of different stakeholders.
Enhancing Kindergarten Education
153. During my election campaign, the education sector and parents requested further improvements to our early childhood education, particularly the provision of 15-year free education. This would be on the basis of the current 9-year compulsory education and an extension to our 12-year free education. Since taking office, the Secretary for Education has met the kindergarten sector and visited kindergartens on more than 20 occasions and gained a deep understanding of the sector's flexible and diversified services. He also noted the considerable enhancement in the qualifications of kindergarten teachers over the years. The EDB is setting up a committee to examine the feasibility of free kindergarten education and recommend specific proposals to enable all children to have access to quality kindergarten education. To help kindergartens under the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme improve their school premises and teaching facilities, we will provide them with an additional one-off grant in the 2013-14 school year for conducting minor improvement works and procuring furniture and learning resources and so on.
Equipping Students through Education
154. We will continue to actively develop senior secondary curriculum and post-secondary programmes that feature more diversified and specialist subjects. Apart from conventional academic subjects, we will progressively develop an education and training system for young people that will integrate academic studies and interest, as well as professional and vocational training, under an orderly framework that features diversity, provides multiple pathways and enjoys high recognition.
155. We will also continue to promote the Qualifications Framework (QF). Apart from the Specification of Competency Standards and the recently introduced Award Titles Scheme and QF Credit, we will further explore the development of a credit accumulation and transfer system, and foster collaboration with the QFs of other areas. The Government will promote co-operation between the industry-based Industry Training Advisory Committees and the education and training providers. This will ensure more relevant training opportunities to young people and in-service personnel, with a view to integrating education, training, business and employment seamlessly to enable our young people to make early career planning. We will also improve the quality assurance mechanisms for self-financed programmes.
Support for Students with Special Educational Needs
156. We will strengthen our support for students with special educational needs. In this connection, the EDB has commenced another round of professional development programmes for teachers in ordinary schools. The School-based Educational Psychology Service is being extended progressively, with the target of covering all secondary and primary schools in the public sector by the 2016-17 school year. Starting from the 2013-14 school year, the EDB will raise the ceiling of the annual Learning Support Grant from $1 million to $1.5 million per school to strengthen support for schools. Besides, the EDB will develop diversified teaching resources through cross-sectoral collaboration to help enhance the learning effectiveness of students with special educational needs. We will also step up publicity and information dissemination to promote inclusion in the community. For special schools, we will continue to improve school premises and facilities. We will also provide a one-off grant for aided special schools to procure assistive technology devices to help students with severe or multiple disabilities learn more effectively.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:47
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