Question No. 8
Reply by the Hon. Li Yuet-ting, JP, Acting Director of Education, to a Legislative Council Question by the Hon. YEUNG Po-kwan, CPM,
on 7 August 1985
Question
With regard to the promotion of Putonghua teaching in schools, can the Government inform this Council -
(a) whether there will be adequate supply
of teachers for the teaching of Putonghua in schools, either as an extra-curricular activity or as a subject in, the curriculum;
if not, whether the shortage of qualified teachers in Hong Kong could be met, as a temporary measure, by employment of instructors from outside Hong Kong who are qualified to teach this language?
(b)
sir,
There will be an adequate supply of teachers for the
teaching of Putonghua in schools, either as an extra-curricular
activity or as a subject in the curriculum, without employing
instructors from outside Hong Kong.
Up to July 1985, 619 trained teachers have successfully undergone
additional in-service training to enable them to teach Putonghua.
Of these, 386 are primary and 233 are secondary school teachers.
These in-service courses are provided by the Adult
Education Section in conjunction with the Institute of Language
in Education and by the Institute of Language in Education itself.
From September 1986, the Colleges of Education will also offer
a programme of Putonghua study to suitable students as part of
the course.
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