ENG-1988 — Page 169

EDUCATION

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centres, taught practical skills such as sewing and knitting, cookery and woodwork for household purposes. About 4 000 students attended these courses during the year. One Adult Education and Recreation Centre was operated in each of the 19 Administrative Districts. Members of these centres could choose from many creative and educational activities designed to stimulate social awareness, cultivate creative ability and develop individual talents and skills. Various activities were organised with other government departments and organisations, such as the Independent Commission Against Corrup- tion, the Consumer Council, the Regional Council and Regional Services Department, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the St John Ambulance Brigade and the Family Planning Association. During the year over 19 000 people participated in the courses and activities. Microcomputer courses were also offered in these centres, with a total enrolment of about 600 during the year.

The government also promoted adult education by subventing voluntary agencies to run courses supplementing and complementing those run by the department. The scope of the subvention scheme has been broadened to meet the changing needs of the community. In 1988–9, government subsidies were granted to 247 projects operated by 60 organisations.

Language in Education

To improve the quality of Chinese teaching, the Education Commission's Report No. 1 recommended that an additional graduate teacher of Chinese be provided to every public-sector secondary school with 18 classes or more. This recommendation will be implemented in September 1989. For schools with fewer than 18 classes, an additional 0.5 non-graduate post for teaching Chinese has been provided since September 1986.

To encourage schools to increase the use of Chinese as the language of instruction in seconday schools, the Education Commission's Report No. 1 recommended that secondary schools which made greater use of Chinese should be given additional teachers of English and other resources to avert any consequential drop in the standard of English due to reduced exposure. This recommendation was implemented in September 1988.

A two-year Expatriate English Language Teacher Pilot Scheme began in September 1987, under which interested secondary schools are provided with at least two expatriate teachers of English. Teachers were recruited by the British Council on contract terms for two years. The scheme is being closely monitored and evaluated by the British Council and the Education Department.

The Chinese Textbooks Committee (CTC), established in May 1986, continued to assess the demand for Chinese textbooks in the light of the policy of encouraging schools to adopt Chinese as the medium of instruction, and to advise on ways to ensure that an adequate supply of Chinese textbooks of good quality and standard is available in time for the 1989-90 school year.

The committee comprises members of the community and government officials, and is serviced by the Education Department. The first phase of the incentive award scheme recommended by CTC and accepted by the government in May 1987 proceeded smoothly, with the aim of making available Chinese textbooks for 14 subjects at secondary level for use in September 1989. In July 1988, the government accepted the CTC's recommendation of a second phase incentive award scheme to encourage publishers to produce textbooks in Chinese for practical and technical subjects, and $3.6 million was allocated for financial assistance to participating publishers. The department is providing editorial assistance to ensure that textbooks will be of good quality. Chinese textbooks for eight practical and