EDUCATION
be allocated premises in public housing estates. Most kindergartens operate two half-day sessions, but the number of whole-day places is increasing.
A fee remission scheme is available to needy parents with children in kindergartens. Assistance ranges from 25 to 100 per cent of the weighted average of fees charged by non-profit-making kindergartens. In 1992, 10 988 children benefited from the scheme.
The department gives professional advice to kindergarten managers, teachers, parents and the public. It produces curriculum development materials and runs basic training courses, seminars, workshops and exhibitions to help heads and teachers develop their professional skills. The department also publishes guidelines to help teachers organise the curriculum and learning activities.
Primary Schools
Primary schooling, beginning at the age of six and lasting six years, has been provided free of tuition fees in all government schools and in nearly all aided schools since 1971. Although enough places are available in the public sector, about 10 per cent of parents prefer to send their children to private primary schools. Admission to Primary 1 in the public sector is processed through a central allocation system, administered by the department. This has helped to eliminate pressure on children caused by intense competi- tion for entry to popular schools.
In September 1992, 501 625 children were enrolled in 652 primary schools. Four new school buildings were completed during the year to provide for the growing population in the new towns.
A standard primary school consists of 24 classrooms and two special rooms. A new design was introduced in 1990 to provide more accommodation needed as a result of various changes in education policy. This provides 30 classrooms, four special rooms and three remedial teaching rooms, accommodating 60 classes in two half-day sessions. It can be converted into a secondary school, if necessary, by adding a special room block. The standard class size is 40 pupils where conventional teaching methods are used, and 35 for 'activity approach' classes, which offer a more child-centred teaching method.
Most primary school buildings accommodate two half-day sessions, a system adopted since the 1950s to meet demand from an increasing school population in a situation of severe space constraints. The Education Commission's Report No. 4 recommended a programme for phasing in whole day operation for all Primary 5 and 6 classes over a number of years. But this was not fully supported by the public. During the year, the government accepted the Education Commission's revised recommendation that whole- day schooling should remain a long term goal. In the meantime, any primary school wishing to convert to whole-day operation will be allowed to do so, wherever this will not adversely affect the supply of places in the district concerned.
The primary curriculum aims to provide a broad, balanced and general education appropriate to the age group and the local environment. While the core curriculum (Chinese, English, mathematics, social studies, science, health education, music, physical education, and art and craft) is followed by all primary schools, other learning programmes may be offered on a cross-curricular basis or as separate optional subjects. A syllabus for each core subject is prepared by the CDC, and is regularly revised and updated to meet changing educational and community needs. Awareness of the benefits of the 'activity approach' method is growing and it is now used in 262 schools.
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