APPENDIX III
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF HONG KONG
Introduction
Under the Education Ordinance, the Director of Education is responsible for all matters relating to education in Hong Kong. He controls government schools, while all other schools with very few exceptions are required to be registered under the Ordinance. This provides the Director with the necessary powers to ensure that accept- able standards are maintained. The Ordinance also empowers the Director to order parents to send their children to school where it appears to him that they are withholding their children from primary school without reasonable excuse. Parents so ordered may appeal, if they wish, to a specially constituted board of review.
Three main types of schools exist in Hong Kong: those run by the government, those operated by voluntary bodies and assisted financially by the government and those run and financed by private bodies or individuals. Schools which receive government assistance are again sub-divided into 3 groups: grant-in-aid, subsidized and assisted private schools.
Pre-Primary Education
Kindergartens cater for children aged from 3 to 5 years. All kindergartens are privately operated. Non-profit-making kindergartens, run by voluntary institutions, are assisted by the government with accommodation in public housing estates. Free in-service training courses for teachers are provided by the Inspectorate of the Education Department.
Primary Education
With the exception of the Junior English Schools, the 6-year primary school course is normally begun at the age of six. The aim of the course is to provide a good general education. On completion of the course, suitable pupils are selected on the results of the Secondary School Entrance Examination for places in government, aided and assisted private secondary schools. The majority of primary schools use Chinese as a medium of instruction. Compulsory and free primary education came into force in September 1971 and Government is able to provide a government or aided primary school place for any child of suitable age seeking it. Textbook and stationery grant for 20% of the pupils is also provided in the aided sector.
Special Education
School facilities for children in need of special educational treatment exist for the blind, deaf, physically handicapped, maladjusted and deprived as well as slow learners. The aim is to educate handicapped children in the same way as ordinary children wherever possible; for this reason special schools follow the ordinary curriculum, using special methods and teaching techniques. Voluntary organizations involved in this work receive financial assistance from the government.
The Special Education Section of the Education Department runs special classes in government primary schools for the slow learning, partially-sighted and partially- hearing children as well as providing diagnostic and remedial services. The latter include audiologic and psychological services, speech therapy, educational assessment and place- ment and guidance to parents and teachers. The Section also operates a speech and hearing centre, runs training courses for teachers of handicapped children and supervises a braille printing press.
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