ENG-1981 — Page 122

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EDUCATION

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.

A scheme of subventing retrieval adult education courses run by voluntary bodies was extended in the 1981-2 school year due to its overall success. Altogether, 18 projects from 12 voluntary organisations have been granted government subsidies since September 1980, to meet the costs of staff and essential equipment. About 3 300 adults have attended courses organised under the scheme.

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 to advise on curriculum matters, teaching methods and utilisation of resources, the provision of in-service training courses, seminars and workshops for teachers. The inspectorate evalu- ates 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. During 1981, the various subject committees of the Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) continued their work in the preparation and revision of syllabuses, curriculum guidelines and schemes of work for implementation at pre-primary, primary and secondary levels. Courses, seminars, workshops and conferences relating to the implementation of new or revised syllabuses were organised for kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers and heads. Numerous CDC journals, newsletters, bulletins and pamphlets were published for distribution to schools to keep teachers abreast of developments in various subject

areas.

The development of the junior secondary curriculum reached a stage of consolidation after an active period in the last few years. At the senior secondary level, attempts had been made to revise some of the syllabuses and some new subjects were being considered to reflect current educational thinking. Sixth Form Subject Committees examined and, where necessary, revised the sixth form curriculum in the light of recommendations in the Sixth Form Report of 1979.

The rationale for curriculum development in prevocational schools was re-examined to provide a better co-ordinated framework. Content syllabuses for Forms 1-3 of prevoca- tional schools were completed during the year and consideration was then given to establishing new modes of curriculum for the Forms 4-5 syllabuses.

The activity approach - in which primary schools are encouraged to adopt a less formal and more child-centred approach to learning or 'learning by doing' - continues to be accepted by teachers as a means of improving teaching in primary schools. During the year, special courses, seminars, workshops and exhibitions were organised for heads and teachers implementing this approach.

The textbooks committee continued to give positive guidance to schools on the selection of books and a comprehensive list of recommended textbooks for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools was issued every three months (in March, June, September and December). In an effort to improve the quality of textbooks, the committee maintains close links with publishers of educational material.