XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, NOVMBER 9,

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATICK,

ATTENTION: SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICER (PLANNING),

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT,

LEE GARDENS, 3RD FLOOR, HYSAN AVENUE,

HONG KONG,

FEATURES OF THE WORKING PARTY'S REPORT

THE 1974 WHITE PAPER ENVISAGED THAT, FOLLOWING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF 100% PROVISION OF JUNIOR SECONDARY PLACES

AND THE ABOLITION OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION (SSEE), A NEW PUBLIC EXAMINATION, THE HONG KONG JUNIOR

CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION, WOULD BE HELD AT THE END OF FORM 3 (FOR PUPILS NOT REQUIRED TO SIT FOR THE SSEE) FIRSTLY TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF FORM 3 AND SECONDLY, TO SELECT AND ALLOCATE PUPILS FOR FORM 4-5 PLACES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WHICH WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR 40% OF THE 15-16 AGE GROUPS.

THE WORKING PARTY EXAMINED THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIOUS METHODS OF SELECTION, RANGING FROM SCALED INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS TO A FULL PUBLIC EXAMINATION IN ALL SUBJECTS.

ASSUMING THE INEVITABILITY OF SELECTION AND CONSIDERING THAT THE PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED MUST BE AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE AND MUST HAVE THE LEAST BACKWASH EFFECT ON THE CURRICULUM, AN EXAMINATION IN CHINESE, ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS, THE RESULTS OF WHICH SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS SCALED BY THE SAME EXAMINATION, IS PREFERRED BY A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY.

THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY RECOMMEND THAT INITIALLY THE EXAMINATION SHOULD BE GIVEN A HEAVIER WEIGHTING, AND THAT THIS WEIGHTING SHOULD BE PERIODICALLY REDUCED UNTIL THE EXAMINATION AND THE SCALED SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS COUNT EQUALLY.

DETAILS ARE LEFT TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT RESEARCH SHOULD BE INITIATED INTO THE RELATIVE MERITS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS OR COMBINATIONS OF TESTS WHICH WILL GIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE RESULTS.

THE REPORT ALSO RECOMMENDS TERRITORY-IDE ALLOCATION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF +FEEDER-SCHOOL+ ARRANGEMENTS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE 1978 PRIMARY 6/FORM 1 ALLOCATION SYSTEM SO THAT, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, PUPILS SELECTED TO PROCEED TO FORM 4 WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO SO IN THEIR OWN SCHOOLS.

ON THE QUESTION OF CERTIFICATION, THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT THE JUNIOR CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION SHOULD BE AWARDED TO ALL FORM 3 LEAVERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE SELECTION AND ALLOCATION SYSTEM, AND THAT WHILE THE ISSUING AUTHORITY SHOULD BE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE MADE IN THE CERTIFICATE .FOR THE HEAD OF SCHOOL TO RECORD HIS/HER

OBSERVATIONS OF THE PUPIL'S CHARACTER, POTENTIAL AND NON-ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS.

/THE REPORT MAKES