EDUCATION
Pre-vocational Schools
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Plans have been approved for a total of approximately 6,600 subsidised places for primary school leavers in a number of three-year pre-vocational schools.
Pre-vocational education is a three-year post-primary course based on roughly 50 per cent general education and 50 per cent basic practical training in at least three of the major fields of Hong Kong's industrial development. This is to avoid special- isation which is inappropriate at this level. The aim of pre-vocational education is not to provide complete skills and knowledge of a specific trade or occupation but to include manipulative skills and help young people choose a suitable field of employment.
The students in such schools are given a general education together with training in manipulative skills to suit them for employment in industry. An opportunity for further training is provided in the Technical Institute.
At present, there are 1,560 pre-vocational school places. Practical subjects taught include metalwork, basic electrical engineering, automobile servicing, printing (type- setting), building trades and commercial subjects (mainly for girls). New schools are under active planning to provide an additional 5,080 places, and one of these schools will be occupying its own building next year.
Advisory Inspectorate
The Assistant Director (Chief Inspector of Schools) is responsible for the in- spection of all schools, the development of the curriculum, and the improvement of teaching standards. He is helped by the Assistant to the Chief Inspector, whose duty is to co-ordinate the work of advisory inspectors. The Chief Inspector, with the assistance of a senior education officer, is also responsible for the Research, Testing and Guidance Centre. This centre, established in 1965, continues to provide locally constructed tests of attainment in mathematics, Chinese language and English language and administers them to pupils in Primary 3 to Primary 6. The service has been extended to cover some 934 primary schools with more than 224,540 pupils participating. The test results provide cumulative information for the educational guidance of pupils and valuable data on the effectiveness of courses and syllabuses.
Also under the supervision of the Advisory Inspectorate is the English Language Teaching Centre. The centre, also set up in 1965, has a sub-unit in Kowloon and during 1972 was mainly concerned with the provision of refresher courses for teachers and the production of teaching materials.
In September, the first Joint Meeting of the Primary Curriculum Planning Com- mittee and the Secondary Curriculum Planning Committees was held. These com- mittees are charged with the task of ensuring that the curriculum of all schools is kept under constant review and that programmes of curriculum renewal and in- novation are introduced. In any such renewal the criterion will be the needs of students in contemporary society.