XN000022-1996-06-05 — Page 48

- 29

-

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the amount of funds allocated for providing computer studies courses in the publicly-funded secondary schools in 1995-96, and the average number of computers provided for each secondary school for teaching

purposes;

of the objectives in providing such courses, and whether the Education Department (ED) will review these objectives meet the practical needs of secondary school students in computer application in their daily life; and

of the length of time it normally takes for the ED to process an application by a school for the purchase of computer facilities; and how the ED will solve the problem of the approved computer facilities not catching up with the developments in computer technology by the time the schools concerned have obtained approval to purchase such facilities?

Reply:

Mr President.

(a)

(b)

386 government, aided and caput schools have joined the Computer Studies Scheme introduced in 1982. Each participating school will receive 21 sets of computer equipment and relevant software packages for teaching Secondary 1 to 5 computer subjects.

In addition, 125 schools are participating in the Sixth Form Computer Subjects Project which started in 1992. Each participating school will receive 16 to 31 computers and software packages.

In 1995-96, a total of about $8.7 million has been allocated for the purchase of computer equipment and softwares and for curriculum grants to purchase consumable items such as floppy disks, printer ribbons, printer forms and other teaching aids in publicly-funded secondary schools.

There are four computer subjects in secondary schools. They are Secondary 1 to 3 Computer Literacy, Secondary 4 to 5 Computer Studies, Secondary 6 to 7 AS-Level Computer Applications and A- Level Computer Studies. These subjects aim to enhance students' knowledge of computer concepts, programming and computer applications.