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EDUCATION
ETV programmes are based on syllabuses in use in primary schools and are designed to complement and supplement classroom teaching. Notes for teachers and pupils accompany each programme and demand careful preparation and follow-up. Evaluation is supplied by teachers, questionnaires, visits to schools by ETV producers and reports from inspectors of schools.
Approximately 2,000 television receivers serving some 6,000 classes have been installed in schools since the opening of the ETV Service in September 1971.
Examinations
In 1972 there were five local examinations for schools, one conducted by the Education Department, two by the Board of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education, one by the Advanced Level Examination Board of the University of Hong Kong and one by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Matriculation Board.
The Secondary School Entrance Examination is a competitive examination to select pupils for places in government and aided secondary schools, and for assisted places in private secondary schools. It is conducted by the Education Department and an examination committee is appointed to give advice on general policy. All primary schools are invited to participate and may enter all their Primary 6 pupils for the examination. Moreover, schools that do participate are asked to send a minimum of 50 per cent of their Primary 6 enrolment. Scholarships for a full secondary school course are awarded on the results of the examination.
Since 1972, the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (English) and the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (Chinese) have been conducted by one and the same Hong Kong Certificate of Education Board, which comprises members representing participating secondary schools, the University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Education Department. The board aims at combining the above two examinations over the year, into one Certificate of Education Examination where subjects can be taken either in English or in Chinese.
The two Certificate of Education examinations and the Secondary School Entrance examination are processed with the help of the government computer, which also marks such papers in these examinations as are set in the multiple-choice format. The computer also allocates secondary school places to pupils in accordance with their results and their stated preferences.
The Education Department provides a local secretariat for various examining bodies in Britain and elsewhere and so makes available to students in Hong Kong many overseas examinations, academic and professional, at standards comparable with those in Britain. Of these examinations, the General Certificate of Education is open to both school and private candidates who hold a Certificate of Education of the required standard unless they have reached the age of 23 in which case no entry qualification is required. The University of London degree examinations are also conducted annually in May and June. Appendix 19 shows the more important overseas examinations held in Hong Kong and the number of candidates entering for them.