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The Education Bureau (EDB) today (October 11) announced that following the New Academic Structure (NAS) review in the 2012/13 school year and the release of the progress report "The New Senior Secondary Learning Journey - Moving Forward to Excel" in April, the EDB, the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) have jointly launched the NAS Review (Medium-term) to follow up on stakeholders' feedback on the Report.
The Chairman of the CDC, Professor Kenneth Young, noted that under the NAS, positive changes are taking place in schools in both the content of education and how it is delivered. He said, "Continuous reflection and improvement of the new system are needed. The CDC will continue to monitor the learning outcomes of the New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum, listen to the views of all stakeholders, and be ready to make improvements. The NAS medium-term review will address the unresolved issues including those in various subjects and curriculum areas which require a longer time and a more holistic approach to the policy with a view to further enhancing student learning."
The Chairman of the HKEAA Council, Mr Rock Chen, said, "The new system opens up multiple pathways for our next generation to pursue their own interests. Building on the achievements, it is important to continue to maintain international standards and high standards while addressing various concerns and further fine-tuning the NSS curriculum and assessment without compromising the curriculum objectives. Students' interests are always our top priority."
A spokesman for the EDB remarked that the NAS review is an ongoing process to facilitate the continual implementation of the NAS/NSS policy for the betterment of student learning. The major issues for further deliberation in the medium term include the total impact of School-based Assessment; the curriculum and assessment in Chinese Language, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, Business, Accounting and Financial Studies, Chinese Literature, Economics, Ethics and Religious Studies, Geography, Health Management and Social Care, Applied Learning and Visual Arts, etc; and further studies on the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination and other related and emerging issues.
The EDB, the CDC and the HKEAA will continue to extensively collect views from different stakeholders, including schools, teachers, the post-secondary education sector, professional bodies, students, parents and employers, through different channels such as forums, meetings, surveys and focus group interviews.
Recommendations for the medium-term stage are expected to be announced in two batches in July 2014 and July 2015 for teaching at Secondary 4 in the 2014/15 school year or 2015/16 school year leading to the 2017 or 2018 HKDSE Examination respectively to benefit students and schools at the earliest possible time. Meanwhile, the EDB will continue to share good practices, findings and observations with stakeholders through different channels including professional development programmes, seminars, reports and publications.
The document "New Academic Structure Review (Medium-term) - Moving Forward to Excel" has been uploaded to the NAS website (www.edb.gov.hk/nas/review). Schools, teachers and all sectors of society are welcome to give opinions and suggestions so that viable plans can be made to continually enhance the quality of education in Hong Kong. The public can also follow the latest information and activities about the NAS review through the NAS website (www.edb.gov.hk/nas).
Ends/Friday, October 11, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:59
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