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Participation in international education research considered
The Education Department is considering taking part in an international practical research project on "value added" in education.
The Deputy Director of Education, Miss Elaine Chung, said this after her recent visit to Tung Wah Groups of Hospitals Practical School in Yuen Long.
The project which is being considered will compare the formulae for success in schools in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Miss Chung said: "The concept is to measure in a more tangible way enhancement to the total development of the students, whatever the level of intake, and to match it with the requirements of a business oriented society.
"The project will seek to highlight good educational practice and to identify the mechanisms of success in schools which have students from disadvantaged background but which achieve above average outcomes or are particularly effective 'against the odds"," she noted.
The school which Miss Chung visited is run by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals with a subvention of $4.7 million as recurrent cost for 1994-95 school year and $40.2 million as capital cost from the Government.
The school was opened in September last year and now has an enrolment of 139 students. Half of the curriculum taught consists of grammar school subjects, including English, Chinese and Mathematics, and the rest are practical skills for making a living and for the students' interest, such as hair styling, accommodation and catering, fashion and clothing and commercial studies.
For other schools on the drawing board, other ideas such as teaching students to learn how to do home catering, landscaping, raising of tropical fish, tourism etc. are being considered.
"There are many success stories in Hong Kong of entrepreneurs with practical skills," Miss Chung said.
"Education is about nurturing young persons to contribute positively to society in a variety of roles. Practical schools are therefore filling a niche in the education scene," she added.