XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

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NO DATE YET FOR BILINGUAL ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMS

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THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON RON BRIDGE, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE DATE FOR INTRODUCING BILINGUAL ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATIONS HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, BUT THE EARLIEST DATE CANNOT BE BEFORE 1992.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON DAVID CHEUNG. MR BRIDGE NOTED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHINESE TEXTBOOKS COMMITTEE HAD URGED THAT SUCH EXAMINATIONS BE INTRODUCED AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE.

THE CHAIRMAN ALSO INFORMED HIM OF THE COMMITTEE'S VIEW THAT THERE WAS NO DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE AVAILABILITY OF CHINESE TEXTBOOKS AND REFERENCE MATERIALS AND THE INTRODUCTION OF BILINGUAL EXAMINATIONS,

HAD NOT YET FINALISED

HOWEVER, THE SIXTH FORM WORKING GROUP ITS VIEW ON THE APPROPRIATE TIMING, MR BRIDGE SAID.

"THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF SCHOOLS IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR TO ASCERTAIN THE LIKELY REQUIREMENT FOR CHINESE-MEDIUM A-LEVELS FROM 1992 ONWARDS, AND FOUND THAT VERY FEW SCHOOLS INTENDED TO ENTER STUDENTS FOR THESE EXAMINATIONS BEFORE 1994," HE SAID.

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AT THE REQUEST OF WORKING GROUP, WAS NOW CONDUCTING A SECOND SURVEY OF WHETHER MORE SCHOOLS WOULD WISH TO ENTER CHINESE-MEDIUM A-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS BEFORE 1994.

THE SIXTH FORM SCHOOLS TO SEE CANDIDATES FOR

"WHILE A FINAL DECISION ON THE TIMING FOR INTRODUCING BILINGUAL A-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS WILL BE TAKEN AFTER THE SIXTH FORM WORKING GROUP HAS COMPLETED ITS REPORT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE FOR SUCH EXAMINATIONS CANNOT BE BEFORE 1992," MR BRIDGE SAID.

"THE GROUP WILL REPORT TO ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR ON MEASURES RELEVANT ΤΟ THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS."

AS FOR THE FINANCIAL ESTIMATED THAT AN ADDITIONAL INITIALLY.

IMPLICATIONS, MR BRIDGE SAID IT WAS $220,000 PER YEAR WOULD BE REQUIRED

WILL

"THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY ESTIMATES THAT BILINGUAL A-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS WILL COST $200,000 EACH YEAR IN ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO EXAMINATION PERSONNEL, AND TRANSLATION OF SYLLABUSES COST ABOUT $20,000 WITH SMALLER COSTS THEREAFTER WHENEVER SYLLABUSES ARE REVISED," HE EXPLAINED.

"UNTIL THE