TNAG-0473-FCO40-538-Hong-Kong-government-policy-on-education-1974 — Page 151

28. In Chapter VI we make recommendations on the time scale which might be practicable for the interim targets and suggestions on the order of costs involved.

29. We must emphasize that, whilst recommending the interim target set out in paragraph 26, our agreed view is that the ultimate aim for the expansion of secondary education must be to provide sufficient 3-year school places with government assistance for 100% of the 12-14 age-group and, at the same time, sufficient 5-year school places leading to a Certificate of Education in Government and fully-aided secondary schools for 40% of the 12-16 age-group.

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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Every effort should be made to minimize the deleterious effects that public examinations have on pupils and their study program- mes in Secondary Schools. (Paragraph 13)

Chinese should become the usual medium of instruction in lower forms of Secondary Schools; every effort should be made to develop good textbooks for all subjects written in Chinese, to train teachers capable of instructing through the medium of Chinese and to adopt improved techniques of language teaching for both Chinese and English. (Paragraph 16)

The early years of secondary education should be based on a common core of instruction, irrespective of the type of school. (Paragraph 18)

Approximately one-fifth of the 3-year places should be in pre-voca- tional schools, and approximately one-third of the 5-year places should be in Secondary Technical Schools. (Paragraph 19)

As an interim measure, sufficient 3-year places for 80% of the 12-14 age-group, and sufficient 5-year places for 36% of the 12-16 age-group, should be provided by 1981. (Paragraph 26)

The ultimate aim of providing sufficient 3-year school places, with Government assistance for 100% of the 12-14 age-group, and sufficient 5-year school places, leading to a Certificate of Education, in Government and fully-aided secondary schools for 40% of the 12-16 age-group, must be retained. (Paragraph 29)

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