Hong Kong 2006 - Education

Pre-primary education is a key learning stage preceding the nine-year basic education. The Government's policy is to ensure that quality and healthy development are sustained while providing for flexibility of operation for the private sector. Currently about $1.1 billion has been allocated annually to subsidise pre-primary education. When the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme is fully implemented, an additional $2 billion will be invested in pre-primary education. To assist parents in making informed choices of kindergartens, the Government will require kindergartens to comply with prescribed disclosure requirements and will compile profiles of kindergartens for public reference. At the same time, principals and teachers will be provided with financial assistance to upgrade their professional qualifications. The EMB will develop a quality assurance system. By the 2012-13 school year, only kindergartens meeting the prescribed standards will be permitted to join the scheme.

Gifted education is part of quality education. The existing services for students with exceptional talent include support in classes, school-based enhancement programmes and off-site enhancement programmes in collaboration with tertiary institutions and professional bodies. To meet increasing demand for a wider range of services and opportunities to cater for the diverse abilities, interests, and social and emotional needs of gifted students, the Government will establish an Academy for Gifted Education in 2007. The academy will function as a service centre to support research on gifted education and coordinate quality services for gifted students, their teachers and parents. Services will include programmes to help them develop their talents and attain all-round personal development, build up confidence in pursuit of excellence, and deepen their passion and commitment to serve the community.

The Government is vigorously preparing for the implementation of the new academic structure from 2009, with the first public assessment for senior secondary students in 2012. Professional development programmes and school-based support are being expanded to enhance the capacity of teachers and principals to implement the new curriculum. The basis of assessment of student learning will be broadened by extending school-based assessment for the subjects of the HKDSE in phases so that students and teachers can steadily adapt to the new mode of assessment. The HKEAA is working closely with overseas examination authorities and universities to secure international recognition of the HKDSE. A working group comprising representatives from local higher education institutions, HKEAA, the UGC and the EMB will continue to ensure seamless interface between NSS and higher education.

The Executive Council approved the establishment of a cross-sectoral Qualifications Framework (QF) in February 2004 to improve the quality of manpower through promoting lifelong learning. The framework is a seven-level hierarchy against which academic, vocational and continuing education qualifications can be benchmarked. Subject to the enactment of the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Bill, the QF and its associated quality assurance mechanism will be formally implemented. The Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA) will be responsible for ensuring the quality of qualifications awarded by a wide range of education and training providers under the QF other than those awarded by the self-accrediting institutions.

The HKCAA will also be responsible for maintaining the Qualifications Register (QR), which is a web-based database on qualifications, learning programmes and providers recognised under the QF. Through the QR, learners can make informed choices of learning programmes, and employers can choose suitable training programmes for employees according to the needs of the industries. A Recognition of Prior Learning mechanism will be launched to recognise the skills, knowledge and experience of in-service and experienced workers to facilitate their further training and studies.

So far, 12 Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs) which are responsible for, among other things, developing Specifications for Competency Standards (SCSs) for the relevant industries have been established. The SCSs will become the basis for curriculum design of training courses for the industries concerned and the first batch of SCS-based training programmes will be introduced in early 2007. More industries will be assisted to set up ITACs in the coming year.

Hong Kong is well-placed to provide quality higher education for the region. Its cosmopolitan outlook, strong links with the Mainland, world class universities and a diversified system of education present unique attractions to both overseas and Mainland students. To take the initiative forward, an inter-bureau steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration has been established to examine the strategic issues relating to developing Hong Kong as a regional education hub. The committee is looking into issues including immigration policy, provision of boarding facilities, and marketing and promotion strategies.