35.
Development of Students' Potential Committed
Following is a question by the Hon Ambrose Lau Hon-chuen and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question
It is learnt that some 6,000 primary and secondary students in the territory have recently taken part in the Third Mathematics and Science Study organised by the International Association for the Study of Educational Achievement. The University of Hong Kong has examined the results of the Study and found that the development in mathematics and science in the territory has remained static, and that the territory is trailing behind other developing countries in Asia in this regard. Researchers have attributed this to insufficient emphasis being placed on education by the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
Reply:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Mr President.
of the proportion of the funding on education to the territory's GNP in the past ten years:
whether any study has been conducted on the respective proportions of the education funding to the GNP in Singapore. South Korea, Japan and Taiwan in the same period: and
whether it has formulated any long-term education strategy, particularly in the areas of teaching science and mathematics, to ensure that bright and qualified people will be trained up to promote high technology development in the industries of the territory"
The target group under the Third Mathematics and Science Study conducted by the International Association for the Study of Educational Achievement (IEA) was the two grades with the largest population of 13-year-olds, which in the context of Hong Kong corresponds to Secondary 1 and 2 students. Senior secondary students were not included in the study.
i