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Monitoring of textbooks quality
Following is a question by the Hon Eric Li Ka-cheung and a written reply by the Secretary Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
In view of the large number of textbooks publishers in the territory and the varied standards of the textbooks, will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
of the measures in place to monitor the contents of textbooks;
(b)
whether it will consider regulating the selling prices of textbooks; and
(c)
whether it has any knowledge of the criteria adopted by schools in the selection of textbooks?
Reply:
Mr President,
(a)
The responsibility for monitoring the quality of textbooks rests with the Education Department. The Department has set up a Textbooks Committee to compile and issue a Recommended Textbooks List for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. The Committee is chaired by the deputy to the Chief Executive of the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Department, and comprises representatives of Textbooks Review Panels. Members of these Panels comprise mainly practising teachers of relevant subjects drawn from public sector schools and Education Department subject specialists.
If publishers wish to put their publications on the Recommended List, they may submit draft texts for review by the Textbooks Committee. The relevant Review Panels will check the drafts against the recommended syllabuses and guidelines endorsed by the Curriculum Development Council to ensure that the textbooks meet the Council's requirements and that their contents and formats are acceptable.