ENG-1992 — Page 144

EDUCATION

year vocational courses leading to a certificate or diploma; and a three-year course of teacher training. After the HKALE, students may gain a place on a degree or diploma course, or on a course of teacher training normally lasting two years. Those leaving full- time education at the end of the senior secondary or sixth form course have opportunities for part-time study or vocational training all the way up to degree level.

Although most educational provision is in the public sector, the government directly manages only a small proportion of primary and secondary schools. Most are operated by non-profit-making voluntary organisations receiving public funds under a code of aid. Tertiary institutions (except for the self-funding Open Learning Institute) are autonomous statutory bodies receiving public funds through the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (UPGC). A comprehensive system of technical education and vocational train- ing is provided, with public funds, by the statutory Vocational Training Council (VTC).

The Legislative Framework

Any institution offering education to 20 or more pupils in a day must operate in accord- ance with statutory requirements. The operation of schools (including kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and commercial colleges) is governed by the Education Ordinance, which provides for the registration of schools, teachers and managers, and for attendance by children between the ages of six and 15. The subsidiary Education Regulations cover a wide range of matters including health and safety provisions, fees and charges, and the qualifications of teachers.

The Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance covers institutions offering post-secondary courses but outside the tertiary sector. The VTC Ordinance covers technical colleges, technical institutes, industrial training centres, and skills centres for the disabled. Two bodies with an important quality control role, the Hong Kong Examinations Authority (HKEA) and the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA), have been established under their own ordinances. The Education Scholarships Fund Ordinance provides for the administration of the large number of scholarships donated by generous members of the public.

The Director of Education is responsible for supervising education at kindergarten, primary and secondary level. He also supervises institutions registered under the Post- Secondary Colleges Ordinance. He directly controls all government schools, the four colleges of education, the Institute of Language in Education (ILE) and the Curriculum Development Institute.

The main responsibilities of the Education Department relate to the planning and provision of public sector school places; the allocation of pupils to these places; support for curriculum development; professional training for non-graduate teachers; language education for teachers; the setting of academic targets and related assessments; the monitoring of teaching standards; and the administration of funding to public sector schools and some private institutions. The department also plays an important role in policy development and review.

The following figures give some idea of the size and importance of the education system. About 1.2 million students, or 21 per cent of the total population, were in full-time education during the year. They attended 1900 institutions, and were taught by 54 000 teachers supported by a large number of support staff. There were some 297 000 candidates for local public examinations, with a further 219 000 candidate entries for 18 overseas

URBAN COUNCIL PUBLIC LIBRARIES

REFERENCE LIBRARY

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