XN000022-1996-01-10 — Page 56

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Entry requirements for civil service posts

Following is a question by the Hon Ip Kwok-him and a written reply by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Michael Sze, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

At present, the entry requirements for certain civil service posts specify that a candidate's proficiency in Chinese should be a pass in Chinese Language in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has considered raising the entry requirements in respect of Chinese Language for such posts; if not, why not?

Answer:

Mr President,

Let me begin by emphasising that for many years both Chinese and English language requirements have been set for entry to many grades in the civil service based on operational need.

However, in view of the growing need for Chinese language in the efficient operation of an increasingly open civil service a review of language requirements was conducted in the early months of last year. The outcome of that review was to articulate more clearly the Government's long-term goal of a biliterate (Chinese and English) and trilingual (Cantonese, English and for directorate officers at least. Putonghua) civil service.

To this end it was recognised that civil servants entering the permanent and pensionable establishment should have basic proficiency in the Chinese language. Various benchmarks were considered. A pass in Chinese language in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination provided the best solution for three main

reasons:

(i)

first. there was no convenient higher benchmark because Chinese language is not commonly taken in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination or the Hong Kong Advanced Supplementary Level Examination;