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Education
acquire Other Learning Experiences. They can also choose two or three elective subjects from 20 senior secondary subjects, a range of Applied Learning (APL) courses and six Other Languages.
ApL courses are introduced at Secondary 5 and 6. They place equal emphasis on practice and theory linked to broad professional and vocational fields. In the 2017-19 cohort, 35 ApL courses are offered under six areas of studies: Creative Studies; Media and Communication; Business, Management and Law; Services; Applied Science; and Engineering and Production.
On completion of their study at Secondary 6, students take the HKDSE Examination. This certification receives extensive recognition in international benchmarking studies such as the National Recognition Information Centre report and the Tariff System of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK. The Australian government recognises the HKDSE as comparable to the Australian Senior Secondary School Certificate. Over 270 tertiary institutions worldwide, including Oxford and Yale universities, recognise the qualification for admission purposes, and more are being added.
In 2016, about 89 per cent of Secondary 6 graduates pursued further full-time studies, among whom about 10 per cent studied outside Hong Kong.
Under the state Ministry of Education's Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions, some Mainland higher education institutions admit. Hong Kong students on the basis of their HKDSE Examination results and exempt them from taking the Joint Entrance Examination for Universities on the Mainland. In the 2017-18 academic year, over 2,500 Hong Kong students applied under the scheme and about 1,300 were admitted. In 2018-19, the number of participating institutions will increase from 90 to 102, located in 18 Mainland provinces and municipalities and one autonomous region.
Chinese History Education
Chinese history is an integral part of the curriculum for all primary and secondary schools. Learning content on the Chinese nation, Chinese history and Chinese culture is included in the General Studies subject at primary level. At junior secondary level, all schools should offer Chinese History as an independent compulsory subject from 2018-19, according to the October 2017 Policy Address, and devote about two periods per week to Chinese History. At senior secondary level, Chinese History is an elective subject. To enhance students' interest in learning the subject, the Ad Hoc Committee under the Curriculum Development Council is reviewing and revising the Junior Secondary Chinese History subject curriculum. The second stage of consultation started on 30 October 2017. It is expected that the review and revision work will be completed by 2018.
Basic Law Education
The Basic Law is a constitutional document for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). It enshrines within a legal document the important concepts of 'one country, two systems, 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and a high degree of autonomy. It also prescribes the various systems to be practised in the HKSAR. The Basic Law is related closely to our daily lives.
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