XN000022-1980-08-21 — Page 5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1980

JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT EXPLAINED

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THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT IS SIMPLY A SYSTEM OF SELECTION AND ALLOCATION OF SUBSIDISED FORM IV PLACES AND IT WOULD NOT INVOLVE THE PRESSURE OF A FULL-SCALE PUBLIC EXAMINATION, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED TODAY TO CLARIFY PUBLIC MISCONCEPTION.

FOR THOSE NOT ALLOCATED SUBSIDISED FORM IV PLACES, THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE THE IR EDUCATION IN A PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL. THIS WILL, OF COURSE, INVOLVE PARENTS IN HAVING TO PAY THE FULL FEES. THERE ARE AT PRESENT OVER 200 SUCH SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG.

TO ALLAY FEARS, THE SPOKESMAN FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE SYSTEM OF SELECTION AND ALLOCATION IS BASED ON PUPILS' ACHIEVEMENT IN THEIR SCHOOL'S MID-YEAR AND FINAL EXAMINATIONS IN FORM III.

AS DIFFERENT SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT AND STANDARDS OF MARKING, IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO HAVE A MEANS OF COMPARING THE GENERAL STANDARD OF PUPILS AMONG VARIOUS PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS.

TO ACHIEVE THIS, A SCALING TEST WILL BE HELD IN THE BASIC SUBJECTS OF CHINESE, ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS TO ADJUST INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO MAKE THEM COMPARABLE.

+A PUPIL'S PERSONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE SCALING TEST WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE SELECTION AND ALLOCATION PROCESS, + THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.

IN THE 1978 WHITE PAPER ON SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, THE GOVERNMENT STATED THAT THERE WILL BE PROVISION FOR ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF THE 15-16 AGE GROUP IN FORM IV OF AIDED SECTOR, PLUS OTHER AVENUES FOR THE REMAINING PUPILS WHO WISH TO PURSUE SOME OTHER FORMS OF POST-FORM-THREE EDUCATION.

THESE INCLUDE THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES, APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES AND EVENING SENIOR SECONDARY CLASSES. THE TOTAL PROVISION IN FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EDUCATION SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR 75 PER CENT OF THE AGE GROUP IN 1981, PROGRESSING TO 98 PER CENT BY 1985.

IN ADDITION, THERE ARE FORM IV/V PLACES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH PUPILS MAY ATTEND BY PAYING FEES.

+TAKING ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES INTO CONSIDERATION, PARENTS AND STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE OVER CONCERNED OR ANXIOUS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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