EDUCATION
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The Pupil Record Card System which came into effect with the Primary One Admission System was extended to cover all Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils in 1984. The system will enable schools and the Education Department to trace the educational history of pupils for record and research purposes.
Primary 6 leavers are allocated junior secondary school places in the public sector through the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System. The system is based on internal school assessments, scaled by a centrally administered Academic Aptitude Test, and allocation takes into account parental choice of secondary schools. In July, 89 980 Primary 6 pupils participating in the SSPA were allocated Form 1/Middle I places in government schools, aided schools, private non-profit-making schools in receipt of per capita grants, and private independent schools in the 'bought places' scheme.
The Student Guidance Scheme provides a school social work service to 844 primary school sessions.
Secondary Education
There are four main types of secondary schools in Hong Kong: Anglo-Chinese grammar schools, Chinese middle schools, technical schools and prevocational schools. The Anglo- Chinese grammar schools had enrolments totalling 375 673, compared with 380 203 in 1983. They offer a five-year secondary course in a broad range of academic and cultural subjects leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE), with the medium of instruction mainly English. Students with satisfactory results in the HKCEE may enter a two-year sixth-form course leading to the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination for admission to the University of Hong Kong. Many also sit for the United Kingdom General Certificate of Education Examination at both ordinary and advanced levels.
In 1984, there were 63 Chinese middle schools accommodating 36 841 pupils, compared with 38 671 in 1983. Pupils at these schools also take courses leading to the HKCEE. Instruction is mainly in Chinese with English taught as a second language. A number of Chinese middle schools also offer a one-year Middle 6 course leading to the Hong Kong Higher Level Examination for admission to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Secondary technical courses were provided for 21 571 students in 22 schools; 10 of these schools are run by the government and 11 are government-aided. Secondary technical schools prepare their students for the HKCEE with emphasis on technical and commercial subjects. Suitably qualified candidates can continue their studies in Form 6 or at technical institutes, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong or the Hong Kong Technical Teachers' College.
Prevocational schools are government-aided secondary schools which provide students with a general education and an introduction to a wide range of technical skills upon which future vocational training may be based. Since 1981, senior secondary places have been made available to about one-third of the more academically capable Form 3 leavers to enable them to continue their general education up to the Certificate of Education level. The curriculum content is made up of about 50 per cent technical subjects and about 50 per cent general subjects in Forms 1 to 3. The technical content is reduced to about 30 per cent in Forms 4 and 5. It is envisaged that after completion of Form 3, a high proportion of prevocational school students will enter approved craft apprenticeship schemes with associated part-time day-release courses at technical institutes. Credit units are given by the institutes for technical subjects which have been studied in depth at school. In addition, direct entry into the second year of an approved craft apprenticeship may be given.