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Adult Education

EDUCATION

The Adult Education Section of the Education Department provides a wide range of courses and recreational activities for adults and young people who no longer attend formal education courses in day schools. These courses and activities are provided by the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies, the Evening Institute and 15 Adult Education and Recreation centres.

The Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies offers a three-year diploma course in general arts for secondary school-leavers wishing to further their studies in Chinese litera- ture, philosophy and sociology. It also offers short courses of three to six months' duration in various aspects of Chinese classics and culture. At post-secondary level, teachers' courses provide additional in-service professional training in the teaching of English in junior secondary forms, English in primary schools, mathematics in junior secondary forms, physical education in secondary schools and a variety of creative subjects.

The Evening Institute offers courses, in 120 centres, ranging from literacy to secondary and post-secondary studies. A general adult education course provides fundamental and elementary education at primary level to meet the educational needs and interests of adults. Parallel to this are practical courses to teach adults such domestic skills as sewing and knitting, and woodwork. There are also three courses at secondary school level for adults the young people's course, the secondary school course and the middle school course the last two of which prepare students for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examina- tion. To improve proficiency in English, an English course is offered from Primary 4 to Form 5 at which level adult students are prepared for the English Language paper (Syllabus B) of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. Classes of Form 6 standard are organised to provide further training and practice in the use of English.

The 15 Adult Education and Recreation centres organise many cultural, social and recreational activities designed to stimulate individual awareness within the community, to cultivate creative ability and to develop individual talents. Various activities have been organised in collaboration with other government departments, such as the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the Urban Council and Urban Services Department, and Radio Television Hong Kong. During the year, about 24,000 people were enrolled in the formal courses and about 22,000 in the non-formal courses.

The 1978 White Paper on the Development of Senior Secondary and Tertiary Education recommended that government subventions should be made to voluntary agencies to run adult education projects that would complement and supplement the Education Depart- ment's own retrieval adult education courses. In August, a government contribution was made towards staff costs and essential equipment to assist non-profit-making organisations to launch selected experimental projects.

Advisory Inspectorate

The main function of the Education Department's Advisory Inspectorate is to promote quality in teaching. This involves frequent visits to schools by subject inspectors, the development of advisory services and facilities, and the provision of courses, seminars and workshops for teachers. The inspectorate evaluates textbooks and instructional materials; it also carries out educational research and guidance and curriculum development. Close liaison is maintained with the universities, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the post-secondary colleges, the Hong Kong Examinations Authority, other government departments, the British Council and the Consumer Council.