Speech by SEM at New Zealand

*****************************************************

Following is a speech by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mrs Fanny Law, at the 10th New Zealand International Education Conference in Wellington (August 7):

The Honourable Russell Marshall, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak at this distinguished annual gathering of New Zealand education professionals and international managers.

Following reciprocal visits by our former Chief Secretary for Administration last year and your Prime Minister earlier this year, the curtain is up for broadening the close relationship that has existed between New Zealand and Hong Kong for many years. We are your seventh largest export market and the sixth largest source of inward investment. Tens of thousands of former Hong Kong residents have migrated to New Zealand; and thousands of our young people have chosen to study in your schools and universities. Although I have only been here for less than one week, I do appreciate their decision.

Last week, discussions at a high-powered conference in Auckland brought into sharp focus the overriding importance of education and global networking for success in the knowledge economy. Like you, Hong Kong is also looking for a new direction of growth in the knowledge economy, and education features prominently in almost every forum as the engine of growth to develop the brainpower necessary for maintaining our competitiveness in the 21st century. For those of you who have not been to Hong Kong, I would like, first of all, to give you some basic facts about this vibrant city.

Hong Kong: Some Facts

Hong Kong, located at the tip of southern China, has an area of just about 1,000 square kilometres, half of which are uninhabitable islands and hills. With 6.8 million people, close to double the population of New Zealand, crowded in an area of less than half a percent of the land mass of New Zealand, Hong Kong is highly compact and densely populated. We are not as well endowed with natural resources as New Zealand. People are our only natural assets. Investing in people is therefore the only way to safeguard Hong Kong's future.

For historical reasons, as you may expect, the education system in Hong Kong follows closely the British model. Before I outline some of the current education issues which may be of interest to you, allow me to give you a brief account of how Hong Kong is faring under the novel concept of "one country, two systems". The reversion of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997 was seamless and successful. All the cornerstones of our past success remain intact four years after the transition.

The rule of law is upheld by an independent judiciary. We have a clean and impartial civil service, ranked among the most efficient in the world. We have a simple taxation system, with salaries tax capped at 15% and corporations pay only 16%. Our capital account is fully convertible. We remain a duty-free port and our citizens are free to travel. The high concentration of magazines and newspapers, and international news agencies in Hong Kong bears testimony to our continued commitment to freedom of speech and unfettered flow of information. China has scrupulously honoured its commitments to allow Hong Kong people to run Hong Kong with the high degree of autonomy promised in the constitutional document, the Basic Law.

The Asian financial crisis, which occurred shortly after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, marked an otherwise uneventful transition. Painful as it might have been, the financial crisis was, with the benefit of hindsight, a blessing in disguise. It was a timely wake-up call as it exposed some fundamental weaknesses in our systems that needed to be addressed if we were to remain at the forefront of international cities in the 21st century. We launched wide-ranging and vitally important reforms to strengthen our economic and social fabric. Education lies at the heart of all of these efforts.

Hong Kong Education System

Since 1978, we have provided nine years of free and universal education for all children between the ages of 6 and 15, made up of 6 years of primary and 3 years of junior secondary education. Pre-primary education is not compulsory but most families send their children to kindergartens at the age of 3. On completion of Secondary 3, some 95% of students continue senior secondary education in mainstream or vocational schools. In a knowledge society, it is extremely difficult for a 15-year old school leaver without any vocational skills to find employment in the job market. Beginning next year, we shall provide enough publicly funded school places to enable all young people to complete 5 years of secondary education.

At present, about one-third of secondary school graduates proceed to a two-year sixth form programme, and 18% eventually get into a publicly funded university in Hong Kong. There are eight publicly funded universities in Hong Kong, offering both degree and sub-degree programmes. In addition, the Open University of Hong Kong provides continuing education on a part-time basis and is self-financed. Another private institution has recently been accredited to offer four degree programmes from the next school year.

Firm in the belief that a well-educated community supported by highly qualified professionals is essential for success in the knowledge-based and technology-driven global economy of the 21st century, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has increased the education budget by over 40% since 1997. Education is the single largest item of public expenditure, taking up 22% of the government budget this year. We see education as an investment in the future, not consumption.

Education Indicators

Let me take you through some indicators of the performance of our education system.

In terms of educational attainment, in the ten-year period between 1990 and 2000, the proportion of the population, aged 15 and above, with secondary or higher education increased from 60% to 69%. The biggest increase is in respect of tertiary education which rose from 11% to 18% at the turn of the 1990s. This was a response to the so-called "brain drain", as educated people emigrated overseas due to uncertainties over the future of Hong Kong at the time. Now the situation is reversed with many emigrants returning to Hong Kong.

Due to land constraint, about half of our primary schools are still bi-sessional and many of our older schools lack accommodation for sports and special activities. Our target is to provide whole-day primary schooling for all of our children by the year 2007. This will require the construction of 85 new schools in the interim. We are also committed to upgrading the facilities at 350 schools to current standards within four years.

The class size in public sector schools in Hong Kong is relatively large, averaging 33 for primary schools, and 39 for secondary schools. We have not been able to make significant headway in reducing class sizes because of a shortage of land to meet the competing development needs of Hong Kong. However, the pupil to teacher ratios have improved progressively over the years, currently standing at 22 for primary schools and 18.6 for secondary schools.

Historically, our teaching force is made up of both graduates, with or without teacher training, and non-graduates with teacher training. About 65% of our teachers hold a degree, of whom 84% have received teacher training. We are working towards an "all graduate, all trained" teaching profession in the longer term.

Hong Kong students have performed reasonably well in international tests. We ranked 4th in Mathematics; and 15th in Science in the 1999 TIMSS (The International Mathematics and Science Study) and received 4 bronze medals and one Honourable Mention in the International Mathematics Olympiad in the same year. We take part in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) for the first time in the triennium from 2000 to 2003. The PISA will give us a better perspective of the overall performance of our students.

Hong Kong's education system has served the community well over many years and has contributed significantly to our economic success. However, past achievements do not guarantee future success. Faced with unprecedented changes driven by technological development, we must equip our young people with the versatility and skills to deal with the imponderables in an era where nothing endures but change. This calls for a shift in emphasis in education from knowledge to skills, from rote-learning to critical and exploratory thinking, from teacher to learner-centred, and from academic to all-round development. Above all, we have to develop in our young people a positive attitude towards lifelong learning, the strength of character to rise to challenges, and the ability to cope with change.

Education Reform

With these objectives in mind, the Government conducted a comprehensive review of the education system and published a blueprint for education in the 21st century last September which sets out the overall aims of education, and maps out the framework for reform. The key elements of the reform agenda are to:

expand the opportunities for education and build a lifelong learning society;
introduce flexibility, diversity and choice in the system to accommodate individual differences and develop potentials to the full;
create an inspiring learning environment so that students are intrinsically motivated to explore and learn on their own;
introduce multi-dimensional assessments to encourage all-round development;
empower frontline educators and enhance the professionalism of principals and teachers.

In implementing the various initiatives, we have adopted a step-by-step approach which will span over ten years. All efforts are focused on students, and are directed at enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning in the classroom. Our immediate tasks are to upgrade the language proficiency of students, enhance school leadership and the professionalism of teachers, broaden access to education and build a flexible pathway for personal development.

Different economies may express their education aims in different ways, but there are remarkable similarities in the essence of the issues being tackled by education authorities around the world as we gear up for the knowledge economy. There is much to be gained by strengthening international networking and sharing good practices. This is the main purpose of my visit to New Zealand and, taking this opportunity, I would like to put to you for consideration three possible areas in which we can strengthen our relationship.

Expansion of Post-secondary Education

Let me start at the macro level. Hong Kong's response to the knowledge economy is to provide more educational opportunities for our people. A manpower projection last year estimated a shortfall of over 110,000 workers with tertiary education in five years' time due to economic re-structuring and China's accession to the World Trade Organisation. About three-quarters of the shortfall are in the sub-degree and associate professional levels, e.g. engineering assistants, librarians and information managers, information technologists, logistics managers, and legal assistants. To redress the situation, we have set a target of increasing the age participation rate of tertiary education from 30% today to 60% in ten years. This would mean an increase of about 30,000 additional tertiary places. Initially, the expansion will be at the sub-degree level where the shortfall is most acute. Eventually, we expect the demand for degree programmes will increase as sub-degree holders will look for further education opportunities. Articulation of sub-degree programmes with overseas universities will be one way of meeting the demand.

At present, most of our universities run extra-mural programmes on a self-financed basis. We encourage them to increase their capacity by offering financial incentives in the form of interest-free start up loans to meet the costs of refurbishment and equipment, and lease or purchase of accommodation. We would also allocate land at nominal premium for programme providers with a good track record to develop purpose-built premises. Maintaining quality while expanding accessibility is our prime concern. People of Hong Kong are willing to pay for quality but will demand high quality assurance standards. To safeguard community interests, all programnes will be subject to accreditation and periodic teaching and learning quality process reviews in order to be recognised for registration and financial assistance.

We encourage overseas institutions, including universities, polytechnics and community colleges, to consider setting up an offshore campus or partnering with an institution in Hong Kong to offer full-time sub-degree or degree programmes on a self-financed basis. True to the spirit of free enterprise, we provide a level playing field by offering the same interest free loan to help overseas institutions in setting up their programmes in Hong Kong. These programmes may include an overseas component, ranging from a semester to a year, and still be eligible for full financial assistance, as we consider the "sandwich" arrangement to be beneficial for student exposure.

We also run a means-tested student finance scheme to ensure that no one is deprived of tertiary education for lack of financial means. There are three forms of assistance -- a grant, a low-interest loan, or a breakeven interest loan -- depending on need. The student financial assistance covers both tuition and living expenses and is applicable only to registered programmes which have been accredited. In areas where there is a demonstrated shortage of manpower, and insufficient local training capacity, we also consider sponsoring needy students to attend recognised programmes overseas. Examples are information technology, financial market analysis and creative media

Language education

A second area where New Zealand has a clear advantage is language education. New Zealand teachers have a wealth of experience in teaching English as a second or foreign language due to the ethnic diversity of your population. The language policy in Hong Kong is "biliteracy and trilingualism". All students are required to learn English and Chinese, and to speak English, Mandarin and Cantonese, a local dialect.

In 1998, about three-quarters of our secondary schools turned to the use of Chinese as the medium of instruction. The decision has taken into account the language ability of both teachers and students, and the aim is to help students master the knowledge of academic subjects and develop their higher order thinking with the least language barrier. I am sure you would agree that children learn better in their mother-tongue. Indeed, classroom observations show that, following the switch to Chinese as the medium of instruction, students have become more active learners, and classes have become more interactive. Use of Chinese also expedites the progress of teaching and deepens students' understanding of the subject matter.

To uphold the standard of English following the switch to using Chinese as the medium of instruction, we provide each school with an additional native-speaking English teacher (NET) to help foster an authentic English environment in the school. Apart from classroom teaching and student assessment, the NETs also assist in school-based English teacher development and the design of curriculum and teaching resources. The NET scheme has helped to change teaching practices among local teachers and motivate students to read and use English more. The experience has also enriched the NETs' understanding of Hong Kong students and the Chinese culture students, and in some cases improved their skills in teaching English to foreign students. Students have found the lessons of NETs to be more lively and enjoyable, and they become more motivated to learn and use English. In view of the positive feedback from the schools, NETs and students, we wish to extend the scheme to all the 800 plus primary schools from next year. Hence we will need to recruit many more NETs.

Apart from the NET scheme, we also engage English Language Teaching Assistants (ELTAs) in our schools. These are "gap year" students who are native English speakers. They work in pairs in the classroom to assist the English teacher in preparing lessons and running group activities, and reinforce the NET in enriching the English environment in the school. The ELTA scheme provides an invaluable opportunity for young people of New Zealand to experience a different culture. Those who complete nine months of service are also provided with a free trip to China.

I hope you will encourage your teachers and students to take advantage of the two schemes and see them as an opportunity for personal growth and networking which are important for success in the globalised and knowledge-based economy.

In recent years, more students from Hong Kong make use of the summer vacation to go overseas for English or other enrichment programmes. There is also an emerging trend to move from the northern hemisphere, such as USA and UK, to the southern hemisphere, i.e. Australia and New Zealand. The fact that the school terms in Hong Kong and New Zealand end at different times of the year enables our students to join regular classes here when they visit during their school holiday. We hope to see more schools in New Zealand offering short-term English camps for Hong Kong students. We also wish to explore the feasibility of establishing more regular exchanges between New Zealand and Hong Kong students under a "sister" school arrangement.

Professional Development

The third area of possible collaboration is professional development of principals and teachers. School leadership is critical to the success of a school and we depend on teachers to deliver quality education. We rely on principals and teachers to make a difference in student learning in the classroom. The education reform places heavy demands on teachers, in terms of both pedagogical and technological skills. Extensive professional support is needed to reduce the reliance of teachers on textbooks and to turn assessment into feedback to inform teaching. Teachers also require refresher training in new skills, such as school-based curriculum development, cross-curricular learning, collaborative teaching, and action research, to make learning more integrated, more meaningful, more interactive and more enjoyable for students.

Upgrading the qualification and professionalism of our teaching force is therefore our top priority in the education reform. In addition to in-service training, we encourage sharing of good practices among peers. In 1998, the Government set up a US$640 million Quality Education Fund to solicit "bottom up" initiatives on innovative projects to promote quality education. We believe schools and teachers in the frontline are in the best position to judge the individual needs of students and decide what is best for them. The response has been over-whelming with over 4,300 projects approved involving grants totalling US$345 million.

The approved projects broadly fall into four categories, namely, application of information technology in education, new approaches to improve teaching and learning, development of school-based curriculum, and education researches which may help address specific learning problems. The successful projects are widely publicised and disseminated.

We also encourage teachers to share good practices with their counterparts in other parts of the world, e.g. Singapore, China, United States and Canada, through visits, class observations, joint projects and team teaching. New Zealand has a proven track record of teacher training and quality education. As part of our effort to upgrade the teaching of English, all our student teachers will be required to undergo a period of immersion training in an English-speaking country beginning from next year. New Zealand is an obvious choice. There is also room for other forms of exchanges and experience sharing, for example, visits and attachment to schools, sharing of teaching resourcs and professional journals, action research and project work. If the will is there, we shall facilitate.

Conclusion

In the time available, I have briefly outlined the main thrust of the education reform in Hong Kong, and opportunities for strengthening the educational links between New Zealand and Hong Kong. Your trans-Tasman cousins have established a strong presence in Hong Kong in both direct education services and educational consultancies. Australian universities and colleges have become leaders among non-local education providers in Hong Kong through a combination of specially tailored distance learning programmes complemented by courses offered in collaboration with local institutions. Coming September, the Australian International School will open a new campus for over 1,000 primary and secondary students.

Universities and colleges in New Zealand have not been as active in Hong Kong. This is despite the fact that your educational services are every bit as good. We welcome you to visit and test the market. In Hong Kong, there is a huge demand for learning among the population. We estimate that at any one time, close to 600,000 people (or one-tenth of our population) are engaged in one form of continuing education or another. There is also a large vacuum in full-time sub-degree programmes for secondary school leavers.

H G Wells once wrote, "human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe". The scenario Wells portrayed adds a sense of urgency to our education reform. We are optimistic that in cooperation, education leaders across nations will avert catastrophe and drive the next phase of human development to a new height.

I look forward to welcoming you all to Hong Kong to see for yourselves what the city and its people are like and to build links that will deepen the friendship between Hong Kong and New Zealand for many years to come.

End/Monday, August 7, 2001

NNNN