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LCQ5: Teaching Chinese history in secondary schools
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     Following is a question by the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, in the Legislative Council today (February 11):

Question:

     According to the information published by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, 30 649 day school candidates sat for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) in 1999, representing about one-third of the total number of the candidates, and 6 464 day school candidates sat for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE) last year, representing about one-tenth of the total number of the candidates. There are comments that the subject of Chinese History is at risk of "dying out" owing to the decreasing number of candidates year after year. As the Government explained in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on November 12 last year, Chinese history is taught at junior secondary level in all secondary schools in Hong Kong, albeit the adoption of different curriculum modes. The curriculum guide promulgated by the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) in 2001 has stated that Chinese history and culture is the essential learning content at junior secondary level. In this school year, 392 (i.e. 88.29 per cent) secondary schools offer Chinese History as an independent subject at junior secondary level, with 350 (i.e. 78.83 per cent) of these schools offering Chinese History as an independent subject throughout the junior secondary level, and 42 of them offering Chinese History as an independent subject in any one or two years of the junior secondary level. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the numbers of students taking the subject of Chinese History at senior secondary level in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 school years; the number of candidates sitting for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the HKDSEE in 2015 and its percentage in the total number of day school candidates, as well as how such number and percentage compare with the relevant figures of the candidates sitting for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the HKCEE held for the last time;

(2) since CDC is reviewing the junior secondary curriculums of the subjects of Chinese History and History, and the Chief Executive has said in this year's Policy Address that the authorities will renew the curriculum content of Chinese History and World History, enrich the learning experience of students, and enhance the training of teachers, with the objectives of reinforcing students' interest in and understanding of Chinese history and culture and broadening their global outlook, whether the authorities will make the subject of Chinese History compulsory for all junior secondary students through the present curriculum review exercise; if they will make, of the details; if not, how the authorities will encourage young people to acquire a more comprehensive and correct understanding of the country's history; and

(3) whether the authorities will consider adjusting the curriculum design and examination format of the subject of Chinese History at the senior secondary level (e.g. switching to use a more diversified question-and-answer format to assess candidates' level of knowledge about Chinese history), so as to reduce the need for candidates to learn the details of the country's history by rote; if they will consider, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Our reply to the three parts of the Hon Starry Lee's question is as follows:

(1) In the 2013/14 school year, the number of S4, S5 and S6 students taking senior secondary Chinese History was 8 755, 7 619 and 6 622 respectively. As for the 2014/15 school year, there are no relevant figures at this moment.

     Besides, 6 318 candidates have applied to sit for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the 2015 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE), representing 10.1 per cent of the total number of the day school candidates. 4 753 candidates sat for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the last Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (i.e. 2012), representing 15.2 per cent of the total number of the candidates. 26 790 candidates sat for the examination on the subject of Chinese History in the last Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) (i.e. 2010), representing 32.3 per cent of total number of the day school candidates.

     There is a significant difference between the new and old academic structures in terms of taking electives by students. When comparing the figures drawn from the two structures, it should be noted that the HKDSEE under the new academic structure also serves as a university entrance examination. Currently, candidates take only two to three electives in the HKDSEE while students took four to five electives in the HKCEE. Therefore it is inappropriate to make straightforward, simplistic comparisons between the two sets of figures concerning the number of students taking Chinese History as their electives in the two different public examinations. On the other hand, as a university entrance examination, the HKDSEE has more Chinese History candidates than its predecessor.

(2) In the curriculum guide "Learning to Learn: The Way Forward in Curriculum Development" promulgated by the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) in 2001, it is stipulated that all junior secondary students will study Chinese history and culture. Not only is the study of Chinese history made compulsory therein, it is also stipulated that its minimum lesson hours should not be less than one quarter of the total curriculum time spent on the Personal, Social and Humanities Education Key Learning Area, i.e. about two periods per week for each academic year, as well as required contents.

     At present, 88 per cent of secondary schools offer junior secondary Chinese History as an independent subject. Four per cent of schools adopt Chinese history as the main axis with world history topics incorporated into the curriculum contents, while the remaining eight per cent of schools adopt an integrated curriculum mode which organises the contents of Chinese history according to various themes. With reference to different school contexts and their whole-school curriculum planning, as well as their students' learning needs and teachers' expertise, these schools make an effort to adopt different curriculum modes to organise Chinese history elements and contents so that the perspectives of studying Chinese history can be widened, whereas the connection among topics can be strengthened. The Education Bureau (EDB) sees merits in these curriculum modes outlined above and agrees to let schools select the mode that can best address their students' needs, interest and ability as well as their teachers' expertise and school contexts. At present all junior secondary students are studying Chinese history and a majority of schools are adopting an independent subject mode (i.e. dynastic chronological approach). Chinese history is also taught in the remaining schools, though different curriculum modes are being adopted.

     To enhance students' interest in studying Chinese history, the Ad Hoc Committee on Revising the two S1-3 Chinese History & History Curricula of the CDC and its subordinate working groups are now reviewing and renewing the Chinese History curriculum. Their current work of curriculum review and renewal primarily focuses on the junior secondary Chinese History curriculum, with an aim to catering for the needs of the majority of schools which are offering Chinese History as an independent subject. When this task is accomplished, the Committee will, on a need basis, also address the needs of the minority of schools that are using other curriculum modes to teach Chinese history (e.g. some schools, according to their school contexts, supplement relevant world history topics into a curriculum which adopts Chinese history as the main axis) by providing them with a more formalised curriculum to follow.

(3) EDB attaches importance to Chinese history education, and since 2001 Chinese History has been stipulated as compulsory at the junior secondary level. For the senior secondary level, Chinese History has constantly been an elective subject and this status has not been changed after the implementation of the new senior secondary academic structure. As for the HKDSEE, EDB and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority are working closely at all times in reviewing the scopes of the various curricula and modes of assessment.

     Adopting diversified assessment strategies in assessing students' learning performance is always encouraged by EDB. Chinese History is not an exception. In recent years the public examination of Chinese History has undergone reforms, which include the cancellation of multiple choice questions to reduce assessment on memorisation of historical details, setting data-based questions with various sources to assess students' history study skills such as analysis, evaluation, synthesis and deduction. Learning by rote is to be avoided. With the implementation of the short-term review of the new academic structure, the number of elective modules that students are required to take has been reduced to one, thereby trimming 15 per cent of the curriculum. The on-going medium term review also recommends not to continue with School Based Assessment in this subject. It is believed that the pressure on both teachers and students will then be relieved. As in the past, EDB will listen to stakeholders' views on the assessment of Chinese History and make improvement on a need basis.

Ends/Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:15

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