ENG-1992 — Page 154

EDUCATION

8 120 places. Another 19 schools will be completed between 1993 and 1995 to meet increasing demand and to reprovision schools from areas of surplus to areas of shortfall. The majority of these schools will be built to a new standard design introduced in 1990, which provides additional teaching spaces and better facilities.

There are three main types of secondary school in Hong Kong: grammar, technical and prevocational. In 1992, the 410 grammar schools had a total enrolment of 403 619. They offer a five-year secondary course in a broad range of academic, cultural and practical subjects leading to the HKCEE. Most offer in addition a two-year sixth form course leading to the HKALE. The 22 technical schools, which prepare students for the HKCEE with an emphasis on technical and commercial subjects, had an enrolment of 21 967. Qualified candidates can continue their studies in the sixth form or in technical institutes.

The 23 prevocational schools had an enrolment of 20 199. These offer an alternative form of secondary education suited to students with an aptitude for practical and technical subjects. They provide a solid foundation of general knowledge and a broad introduction to technical and practical education upon which future vocational training may be based. The curriculum in Secondary 1 to 3 is made up of about 40 per cent technical and practical subjects and 60 per cent general subjects. The technical and practical content is reduced to about 30 per cent in Secondary 4 and 5. Students completing Secondary 3 in a pre- vocational school may enter approved apprenticeship schemes or continue their studies to Secondary 5 and take the HKCEE. Qualified candidates can continue their studies in polytechnics or technical institutes. In September some prevocational schools started to provide sixth form classes, to prepare students for technical or other studies in the polytechnics, universities or other tertiary institutions.

The Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) was introduced in 1991 to strengthen the private secondary school sector, as a means to improve the quality and diversity of education. Under the scheme private secondary schools meeting specified standards can receive a public subsidy for each eligible student. They are free to decide their own curriculum and to set entrance requirements and fee levels. Nine schools were admitted to the DSS during the 1991-2 school year, and a sixth form college was admitted in September 1992.

As part of the same policy package, the BPS will end in the year 2000. Schools in the scheme will be helped before then to raise their standards so that they may if they wish apply to join the DSS. Twenty private schools were operating under contracts with the government which specify improvements in such areas as whole day operation, the class structure, teacher qualifications and school facilities. The contracts will expire in August 2001, unless terminated earlier by either party.

The curriculum for secondary education is divided into two levels: junior and senior. The junior secondary curriculum aims to provide a well-balanced and basic education suitable for all students in Secondary 1 to 3, whether or not they continue formal education beyond Secondary 3. It is designed to follow on from the primary curriculum, to form an integral learning framework for the nine years of free and universal education.

The senior secondary curriculum aims to prepare students for education beyond Secondary 5 as well as the world of work, and offers a diverse range of subjects from which schools and students select according to individual needs and interests, school traditions and the facilities available.

The new sixth form curriculum introduced in schools in September 1992 aims to provide a more broadly-based and balanced programme of study for students intending to proceed

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