ENG-1997 — Page 199

EDUCATION

curriculum with a larger proportion of technical and practical content for students with aptitudes or inclinations for these subjects, had 22 988 enrolled.

The government recently completed a review of prevocational and secondary technical education and will implement the recommendations by phases to keep the education provided in these schools in step with the changing needs of the community. Qualified students who complete Secondary 5 in these schools can continue their studies in the sixth-form or in courses offered by technical colleges or technical institutes.

The three practical schools, which offer a curriculum with a practical orientation and strong guidance support, had an enrolment of 847 in September 1997. They offer a three-year junior secondary education to help students develop their interest in and motivation towards studies, and prepare them for further studies in vocational training, senior secondary education or employment. The four skills opportunity schools, which offer a three-year tailor-made and skills-orientated curriculum to help students with learning difficulties to acquire basic social and vocational skills, had an enrolment of 762 in September 1997.

Secondary 3 leavers are selected for subsidised places in Secondary 4 or basic craft courses, according to internal school assessments and parental preference. In 1997, 80 268 students took part in the selection exercise, of whom 68 570 (85.4 per cent) secured Secondary 4 places in public sector schools, and 4 006 (5 per cent) were admitted to basic craft courses. Admission to subsidised places in Secondary 6 depends on results in the HKCEE. The 1997-98 school year had 24 140 subsidised Secondary 6 places.

As with the primary level, the government makes constant efforts to improve designs for secondary schools and has been carrying out improvement works to existing secondary schools under the School Improvement Programme since 1994. By September 1997, 59 secondary schools had been provided with additional rooms and facilities under the programme.

The teacher-to-class ratio in government and aided secondary schools is 1.3:1 in Secondary 1 to 5, and 2:1 in the sixth-form. Additional teachers are supplied to strengthen language teaching; to provide remedial teaching, careers guidance, counselling, extra-curricular activities and library services; and to enable split-class teaching of cultural, craft and technical subjects, as well as some sixth-form subjects. The ratio of graduate to non-graduate teachers is about 7:3. The student/teacher ratio is about 19.5:1.

Each public sector secondary school has a library staffed by a teacher-librarian responsible for managing the school library and organising library activities for students. The 1997 Reading Award Scheme for Secondary 1 to 5 attracted 38 000 students from 200 secondary schools.

Curriculum

The primary school curriculum aims to provide a coherent and well-balanced programme to promote all-round development. All government and aided primary schools adopt a core curriculum including Chinese, English, Mathematics, General Studies, Music, and Physical Education as well as Art and Craft. From the 1998-99 school year, Putonghua will be scheduled in the core curriculum. A syllabus for each core subject is prepared by the CDC. The syllabuses are regularly reviewed to meet

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