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Chinese textbooks and supplementary readers in braille supplied to schools for the blind at one tenth of the actual cost.
Secondary Education
There are four main types of secondary schools - Anglo-Chinese secondary schools, Chinese middle schools, secondary technical schools and prevocational schools. The 302 Anglo-Chinese grammar day schools have enrolments totalling 331,036. The medium of instruction in these schools is mainly English, although due prominence is given to Chinese subjects taught in Chinese. Upon completion of Form V, students may take the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examination and candidates may go on to Form VI to prepare for university entrance. They also may study for the General Certificate of Education at both ordinary and advanced levels.
The 103 Chinese middle day schools accommodate 63,485 pupils. Students at these schools also take courses leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examina- tion. Instruction is in Chinese and English is taught as a second language. A number of Chinese middle schools also offer a one-year Form VI matriculation course to prepare students for entrance to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
A total of 18 secondary technical schools provide courses for 14,504 pupils. Ten of the schools are run by the government, six are subsidised and two are private. Instruction is in English, with Chinese taught as a second language. Like the Anglo- Chinese grammar schools, secondary technical establishments prepare their pupils for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examination and suitable candidates can continue their studies in Form VI or at technical institutes, the polytechnic or the Technical Teachers' College.
For secondary school students who obtain satisfactory results in the Certificate of Education examination, higher education is available at colleges of education, techni- cal institutes, the polytechnic and other post-secondary colleges.
Prevocational schools, all of which are fully subsidised by the government, provide a three-year secondary course made up of about 50 per cent general education and 50 per cent technical education. The curriculum usually covers three major fields of industrial or commercial activity designed to introduce students to as wide a field of employment as possible. Technical areas covered include mechanical and electrical engineering, printing, textiles and clothing, commerce, retailing and merchandising, hotel work and catering, and home economics. Excessive specialisation is not encour- aged at this level. Instead, the aim is to introduce basic knowledge and skills, and to help students choose a suitable career.
Prevocational schools also provide an introduction to craft apprenticeship. Con- siderable efforts are made to ensure that prevocational school leavers have the opportunity to enrol in recognised apprenticeship training schemes and to continue their studies in technical institutes. This form of technical training is fully supported by the Hong Kong Training Council and is becoming more accepted by industry.
With the completion of the Marden Foundation Caritas Prevocational School in Tuen Mun New Town and the conversion of the Tang King Po Trade School, the total number of prevocational schools has increased to 10, with a total student capacity of 7,800 places. A further three schools of this type are planned.
Some five subsidised secondary modern schools with an enrolment of 3,953 offer a three-year secondary course with a practical bias. There also are nine private and 10
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