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EDUCATION
Adults - which prepare students for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. To improve proficiency in English, a course covering Primary 4 to Form 5 is offered to prepare adult students for the English Language paper (Syllabus B) of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. Classes of Form 6 standard are organised to prepare students for the Ordinary Level English Language paper (Syllabus B) of the General Certificate of Education Examination. At post-secondary level, teachers' courses provide additional in-service professional training in a variety of subjects. During the year, some 21 000 people enrolled in these formal courses.
The 17 Adult Education and Recreation Centres organise many cultural, social and recreational activities designed to stimulate individual awareness within the community, cultivate creative ability and develop individual talents. Various activities were organised with other government departments and organisations, such as the Independent Commis- sion Against Corruption, the Labour Department, District Offices, Civil Aid Services, the Urban Council and the St. John Ambulance Brigade. During the year, more than 23 000 people were enrolled in these non-formal courses.
Adult education retrieval courses run by voluntary bodies have been subvented on a recurrent basis since the 1982-3 school year. In 1984–5, 102 projects from 39 organisations were granted government subsidies.
Advisory Inspectorate
The main function of the Education Department's Advisory Inspectorate is to promote the quality of teaching. This involves frequent visits to schools by subject inspectors to advise on curriculum matters, teaching methods and utilisation of resources, and the provision of in-service training courses, seminars and workshops for teachers. The inspectorate is also responsible for curriculum development, production of educational television programmes, and evaluation of textbooks and instructional materials.
Close liaison is maintained with the universities, the polytechnics, the approved post- secondary colleges, the Hong Kong Examinations Authority, the British Council, the Consumer Council and other government departments.
Curriculum innovation and renewal continued during 1984 at pre-primary, primary and secondary levels, highlighted by the publication of a revised curriculum guide for kindergartens, the implementation of revised syllabuses for Primary Science and English Language and the issue of new syllabuses in Physics, Economics and Public Affairs and Religious Education (Christianity) for secondary schools. Work continued on the streng- thening of sex education, moral education and civic education programmes. Syllabus implementation was encouraged through the provision of in-service training courses for serving teachers and the production of teaching resources and schemes of work by the newly formed curriculum development teams.
There was an expansion of the Activity Approach to teaching in Primary 1 to 3 classes following the dissemination of this informal method of teaching through seminars and workshops for heads and teachers.
The Textbooks Committee continued to give guidance to schools on the selection of books through the publication of quarterly lists of recommended textbooks and close links were maintained with publishers of educational material.
Teaching Centres
The Advisory Inspectorate runs six teaching centres in connection with the teaching of Chinese, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Subjects and Field Studies.