XN000022-1986-10-24 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1986

TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, SCHOOLS WILL DETERMINE THE LIST OF STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR SUBSIDISED SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION BASED ON THE QUOTA NOTIFIED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. THE SELECTION WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESULT OF APPLICATIONS BY ANY VOCATIONALLY INCLINED STUDENTS FOR POST-FORM 3 PLACES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRES.

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WHO CANNOT BE GIVEN FORM 4 PLACES IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL DUE TO LIMITED VACANCIES WILL BE CENTRALLY ALLOCATED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

THE JSEA SCALING TEST WILL BE ABOLISHED AND PRIORITY OF CENTRAL ALLOCATION WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE STUDENTS' INTERNAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS SCALED ACCORDING TO SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES ALLOCATION (SSPA) SCORES. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT SSPA SCORES CAN BE USED RELIABLY TO SCALE FORM 3 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS. PARENTAL CHOICE WILL BE TAKEN

INTO ACCOUNT IN THE CENTRAL ALLOCATION.

THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS, STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE ELIGIBILITY QUOTAS OF THEIR SCHOOLS WILL BE ALLOCATED IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MERIT TO ANY REMAINING FORM 4 PLACES.

THE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE REVISED PROPOSAL SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEAD SMOOTHLY TO THE NEW PLACEMENT SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE JSEA REVIEW WORKING PARTY FOR IMPLEMENTATION FROM 1991.

APART FROM EXPLAINING THE PROPOSED NEW METHOD OF ALLOCATION THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PAPER ALSO CONTAINS A SUMMARY OF THE PUBLIC REACTION TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE JSEA REVIEW WORKING PARTY. IT SHOWS THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON LIGHTENING THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORKLOAD OF SCHOOLS AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON CAREERS AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RECEIVED OVERWHELMING SUPPORT.

HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL FOR ALLOWING ONLY CERTAIN SYMMETRICAL SCHOOLS TO SELECT THEIR OWN STUDENTS FOR PROMOTION TO FORM 4 MET WITH CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION. THE PROPOSAL TO REVISE THE CLASS STRUCTURE OF SYMMETRICAL AND ASYMMETRICAL SCHOOLS WAS FAVOURED BY A SLIGHT MAJORITY. OVER TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE WHO COMMENTED ON THE NEW PLACEMENT SYSTEM IN AND AFTER 1991 SUPPORTED IT.

COPIES OF THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PAPER IN CHINESE AND ENGLISH HAVE BEEN SENT TO EDUCATIONAL BODIES AND ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS. FURTHER COPIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION AT DISTRICT OFFICES, THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS AND ALL ITS SUB-OFFICES.

COMMENTS ON THE REVISED PROPOSAL SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICER (JSEA) BY DECEMBER 31 AT THE JSE A SECTION, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, LUI KEE EDUCATION SERVICES CENTRE, 269 QUEEN'S ROAD EAST, FOURTH FLOOR, HONG KONG.

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