EDUCATION
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qualifications and school facilities. The contracts will expire in the year 2001, unless terminated earlier by either party, or when a school joins the DSS.
Secondary schools are encouraged to adopt Chinese as the medium of instruction, and discouraged from using a mixture of English and Chinese in classroom teaching. To support this policy, they were advised to choose the appropriate medium of instruction according to the language proficiency profiles of their Secondary 1 intakes from 1989 to 1994. Primary 6 leavers were grouped, for purposes of admission to secondary schools, into three categories: those able to learn effectively in either Chinese or English (33 per cent); those who would learn best through Chinese (60 per cent); and those who would learn better through Chinese but would probably also be able to learn in English (7 per cent).
Parents were informed of their children's grouping and the medium of instruction chosen by individual schools, to help them choose secondary schools most suited to their children's language ability. Schools were advised to ensure a good match between their medium of instruction and the language proficiency of their incoming students. In September, 69 schools used Chinese for all subjects except English language, and more schools increased their use of Chinese, either for some Secondary 1 classes, or for all classes in some subjects.
To broaden the existing secondary curriculum, travel and tourism was introduced as a new Secondary 4 and 5 subject. A total of 41 schools, including grammar, technical and prevocational schools, took part in this pilot scheme and the subject had its first public examination during the year.
Teaching guidelines and supporting materials are provided to schools for cross- curricular studies in such areas as civic education, moral education, sex education and environmental education. Sex and AIDS education is integrated into various subjects in primary and secondary schools. The aim is to enable students to understand sex as part of overall personal and social well-being, and not as something isolated from other aspects of behaviour.
Teaching syllabuses are prepared by the CDC for all subjects offered at the secondary level, and examination syllabuses are prepared by the HKEA. There is close co-ordination between the two bodies, and syllabuses are reviewed and revised as necessary to meet the changing needs of society. During the year, the syllabus for advanced level chemistry was revised. A guide to the Secondary 1 to 5 curriculum was published and distributed to schools, to help them develop a curriculum suited to their students' needs and interests. All sixth form courses last two years. Subjects available include 18 at the advanced supplementary (AS-level) and 22 at the advanced level.
To help teachers implement the sixth form curriculum and become familiar with syllabuses, teaching approaches and strategies, the CDI and Advisory Inspectorate offered short courses and seminars. The Education Department also funded in-service teacher education programmes on individual AS-level subjects which were mounted by tertiary institutions. The CDI published and distributed to schools a guide to the sixth form curriculum.
Cross-curricular studies including civic education, moral education, environmental education, sex/AIDS education and drug education are promoted by making use of learning opportunities in subjects across the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities.