XN000022-1995-12-12 — Page 4

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* Extending intensive English courses for English-medium students in Secondary 6 and Secondary 7 to help them improve their English skills to the level required for entry to tertiary institutions.

Encouraging schools to employ more qualified native English-speaking teachers on local terms of service.

* Creating more senior teacher posts in primary schools as Panel Chairs in

Chinese and English language subjects.

Extending extensive reading and writing schemes to all levels in primary and secondary schooling, and to both Chinese and English languages.

* Providing intensive vocational language courses in English and Putonghua

for school leavers joining the workforce.

Promoting Putonghua by making it part of the core curriculum for all primary and secondary students in line with the Governor's initiatives in the 1995 Policy Address

UGC-funded institutions to consider enforcing strictly minimum language entrance requirements.

Providing support services to assist untrained new language teachers to teach the relevant language.

Releasing the Report "Enhancing Language Proficiency: A Comprehensive Strategy", the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Rosie Young, said the Commission had found that the major weakness regarding language in education stemmed from the lack of a coherent framework for the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of language policy and the fact that a large number of language teachers were not fully trained.

"We must take steps now to improve language education and the language proficiency of the young people of Hong Kong because language proficiency is essential to maintaining Hong Kong's role as an international centre of finance and commerce and the hub of trade and development for China and the Pacific rim.

"The Commission takes note that the demand for people proficient in both Chinese (including Putonghua) and English at all levels will become more urgent as Hong Kong develops and as our ties with China strengthen," she said.