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EDUCATION
Chinese or in English, of two years duration. Successful students are awarded a certificate granting qualified teacher status.
Teacher training courses were formerly free of charge, but from the beginning of the academic year in 1965 new entrants to full-time courses were required to pay fees of $400 per annum in accordance with the policy laid down in the recent white paper on education. Students in full-time courses are permitted to apply for interest-free loans not exceeding $1,200 per annum and, in addition, maintenance grants of up to $1,600 per annum may be made to needy students. In September there were some 500 students in the two-year courses, 17 in the special one-year course, 397 in the one-year courses, and 1,256 in the in-service training courses.
The Department of Education of the University of Hong Kong offers a one-year full-time and a two-year part-time course to graduates, leading to a diploma or certificate in education, in which 57 students are currently enrolled. A newly established School of Education of the Chinese University of Hong Kong offers a one-year full-time course to graduates, leading to a diploma in education. The first enrolment of students totalled 21.
EXAMINATIONS
There are five local school examinations, three conducted by the Education Department, one by the University of Hong Kong and one by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The Secondary School Entrance Examination is a competitive examination to select pupils for places in government and aided secondary schools and for subsidized places in private secondary schools. It is conducted by the Education Department and an examination committee is appointed to advise the Director on general policy. All primary schools are invited to participate. Entrance from each school is limited to 60 per cent of its primary six pupils, but this percentage may be increased up to 100 per cent where justified by previous examination results. Scholarships for a full secondary school course are awarded on the results of the examination.
The Hong Kong English School Certificate Examination is con- ducted by a syndicate of representatives from participating schools, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong