TNAG-1755-FCO40-2475-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 76

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105442 MDHIAN 8410

DROP IN THE STANDARD OF ENGLISH OF STUDENTS DUE TO REDUCED EXPOSURE, SPECIAL RRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SCHOOLS MOVING TOWARDS THE USE OF CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. THESE CONSIST MAINLY OF ADDITIONAL TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, FACILITIES FOR SMALL GROUP TEACHING, LANGUAGE LISTENING AND READING.

3. MR ROWE MAY ALSO HAVE IN MIND WHAT MAY BE PERCEIVED AS DECLINING

STANDARD OF ENGLISH IN HONG KONG. THERE ARE VARYING INTERPRETATIONS

AND IMPRESSIONS. IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT THE NINE YEARS OF

COMPULSORY EDUCATION UP TO SECONDARY 3 AND THE SUBSTANTIALLY

INCREASED PROVISION OF SECONDARY 4 AND 5 PLACES (TO CATER FOR UP

TO 95 PER CENT OF CHILDREN IN THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP) HAVE BROUGHT

MORE CHILDREN WITH WIDELY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ABILITY INTO THE ASSESSMENT NET. DESPITE ALL THIS, THE MONITORING OF ENGLISH STANDARDS AT THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION

BY THE LONDON UNIVERSITY'S GCE BOARD SHOWS THAT THE NUMBER OF

STUDENTS ACHIEVING GRADE C OR ABOVE HAS RISEN FROM 4,749 IN 1982 TO 5,923 IN 1987 ALTHOUGH THE PROPORTION OF PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

ACHIEVING THIS LEVEL HAS FALLEN FROM 20 PERCENT AND STABILISED AT

12 PERCENT IN THE SAME PERIOD. THE INCREASE IN NUMBERS IS TO BE

EXPECTED SINCE THERE ARE MORE STUDENTS. THE DECREASE IN PERCENTAGE

TERMS IS ALSO TO BE EXPECTED, BECAUSE THERE IS A LARGER NUMBER OF LOWER-ABILITY STUDENTS SITTING FOR THE EXAMINATIONS.

4. AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL, MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF ENGLISH AND TO STRENGTHEN THE LINK WITH THE UK ARE MATTERS FOR THE

TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS TO PURSUE AS AUTONOMOUS ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.

THE FIVE INSTITUTIONS ARE NOW COOPERATING IN AN EXERCISE TO ASSESS

AND TEST THE ENGLISH STANDARD OF UNDERGRADUATES AND THE TEACHING OF

ENGLISH IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS.

5. YOU MAY WISH ALSO TO REFER TO THE UK/HK JOINT FUNDING SCHEME

AS A PRACTICAL MEANS OF PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS LINK BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG. SINCE 1983, ABOUT 3,200 STUDENTS FROM HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ASSISTED UNDER THE SCHEME IN PURSUING FIRST DEGREE OR

HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA COURSES IN THE UK. FURTHERMORE, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE UNDER THE UK/HK SCHOLARSHIPS SCHEME FOR HONG KONG

STUDENTS WITH LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL TO BE SENT TO THE UK FOR DEGREE COURSES.

FORD

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