XN000022-1996-12-04 — Page 39

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Mathematics and Science are among the compulsory subjects for pre-service teachers in both Curriculum and Academic Studies at the Hong Kong Institute of Education; and

Promoting the Target Oriented Curriculum (TOC) at primary levels which is expected to enhance the performance of students in problem solving and communication skills in mathematics in the long run.

In addition, mathematics and science education is also enhanced through informal activities such as:

Inter-school and international mathematics and science activities such as Chemistry Olympiad and Mathematical Olympiad to promote students' interest in these subjects;

Public lectures on topics of current interest for teachers and students to familiarise them with the latest developments. Some events are organised in collaboration with non-government organisations. In the past two years, a total of 24 lectures and 10 workshops were organised and participated by over 670 teachers and 5,300 students. In the 1996/97 school year, 11 lectures and 5 workshops will be organised.

In the tertiary sector, all the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions have been made aware of the updated manpower forecast of the territory and the projection of the demand for graduates in the various disciplines for their planning of the courses. Information on student enrolment for the past five years indicated that there has been a 52% increase in the student numbers in the science, mathematics and engineering subjects and even more so in respect of the number of postgraduate students in the UGC-funded institutions.

Teaching and learning at the tertiary level is also enhanced through research projects. The total amount of Earmarked Research Grants (ERG) disbursed to the Research Grants Council for the 1995-1998 triennium was $1,003 million. Out of the grants designated for 1995/96, 54% was allocated to science, mathematics and engineering research. projects carried out by researchers in the UGC-funded institutions.