SAT, JANUARY 9, 1985
* THE PROMOTION OF CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN
SECONDARY SCHOOLS ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT RESEARCH EFFORTS SUBSTANTIATE THE POPULAR BELIEF THAT ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, TEACHING AND LEARNING WOULD GENERALLY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION WERE THE MOTHER TONGUE. ALTHOUGH THE DECISION ON WHAT MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION TO USE WILL REMAIN WITH SCHOOLS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENCOURAGE THE MORE PREVALENT USE OF CHINESE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF GOOD QUALITY CHINESE TEXTBOOKS AND THE RE-ORIENTATION OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHINESE MEDIUM EDUCATION. IN PARTICULAR, THE GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS WHICH ADOPT CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE FORM OF ADDITIONAL TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AND OTHER RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THE STANDARD OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOES NOT FALL AS A RESULT OF A VOLUNTARY CHANGE OF THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION.
* THE QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENT AND QUANTITATIVE EXPANSION OF
THE TEACHING SERVICE IN HONG KONG THROUGH THE PROVISION OF A NEW COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE IMAGE AND STATUS OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION THROUGH VARIOUS MEASURES. THESE INCLUDE MORE ACTIVE TEACHER INVOLVEMENT IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: MORE TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL ORGANISATION, IN ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS AND IN THE PLANNING OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES; THE DRAWING UP OF A 'CODE OF PRACTICE' FOR TEACHERS AND THE SETTING UP OF TEACHERS' CENTRES ON A REGIONAL BASIS. THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION TO INTRODUCE A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE COURSE FOR SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADS AND EXPERIENCED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP AT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL IS STILL BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
* THE IMPORTANCE OF OPEN EDUCATION AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND IN DIFFERENT FORMS WHICH THE COMMISSION WILL BE STUDYING IN DETAIL IN THE COMING MONTHS. HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION AGREED WITH THE CONCLUSIONS OF A UPGC REPORT THAT AN OPEN UNIVERSITY MODELLED ON THE UK OPEN UNIVERSITY WAS UNSUITED TO HONG KONG BECAUSE MOST STUDENTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE STUDY ENVIRONMENT AT HOME AND BECAUSE MOST OF THE NECESSARY ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO STAFF AN OPEN UNIVERSITY WOULD NOT BE FOUND IN HONG KONG, YET A KNOWLEDGE OF THE NEEDS OF THE TERRITORY IN EDUCATIONAL TERMS WOULD BE ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS.
* THE IMPROVED CO-ORDINATION OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WITH THE PLANNING AND FORMULATION OF EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND THE CONTINUATION OF EXISTING EFFORTS DEVOTED TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH.
COPIES OF THE COMMISSION REPORT ARE BEING SENT TO ALL SCHOOLS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, GROUPS AND INTERESTED PARTIES.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE REPORT MAY WRITE TO THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, 3/F, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG OR TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, LEE GARDENS, 3/F, HYSAN AVENUE, HONG KONG.