EDUCATION
workshops to enhance understanding of the needs of gifted students among parents, teachers and other professionals.
International Schools
Several schools offer curricula designed to meet the needs of particular cultural or linguistic groups. The English Schools Foundation (ESF) operates nine primary schools (known as junior schools) and five secondary schools for children whose first language is English, and a special education school for English-speaking students with moderate to severe learning difficulties. The education provided is similar in content and method to that available in schools in Britain, and leads to British public examinations.
The ESF receives public grants based on those paid to local aided schools, and ESF schools charge fees to meet additional costs. After a review on ESF funding arrangements, completed in 1995, subsidies to ESF were brought into near-complete parity with local schools under new funding arrangements to be phased in over two years starting in September 1996.
Other international schools provide education based on the American, Australian, Canadian, French, Japanese, German-Swiss, Singaporean and Korean curricula and systems. In 1996, there were 18 such schools operating up to secondary level, 24 at primary level, and 24 kindergartens. Many non-profit-making international schools were eligible for the Hong Kong Government's grants of land at nominal prices and reimbursement of rates and sponsorship by their home governments or communities. A review on provision of international school places was completed and a new package of assistance introduced in 1995. Under this, the government has systematised the procedures to deal with land grant applications from non-profit- making international schools, and will provide a new interest-free loan up to the cost of constructing a standard-design primary or secondary public-sector school.
Support Services and Improvement Measures
A wide range of services, mostly provided or supported by the Education Department, reinforce teaching and learning in schools.
Educational Research
The Educational Research Section conducts research, develops tests, evaluates education programmes and monitors educational standards. The Hong Kong Attainment Tests developed by this section are administered yearly by primary and secondary schools to diagnose areas of strength and weakness so that appropriate guidance, counselling and remedial teaching can be provided. The results also help the Education Department to monitor standards over the years and across grade levels. This section also compiled education indicators for the school education system, and conducted an evaluation of the implementation of the Medium of Instruction Grouping.
Whole-School Approach to Guidance
The department encourages a whole-school approach to student guidance. The Student Guidance Section organises programmes, workshops and seminars in support of this approach and provides training to Student Guidance Officers/Teachers. It produces topical resource teaching kits to help teachers handle
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