ENG-1998 — Page 202

EDUCATION

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International Schools

International schools form an important social infrastructure of Hong Kong to maintain its status as an international business centre and a vibrant and cosmopolitan community. In September 1998, 23 520 students were enrolled in 43 international schools offering more than 10 curricula including American, Australian, British, Canadian, French, German-Swiss, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Singaporean. In the 1998-99 school year, 24 of Hong Kong's international schools operated up to secondary level, and 34 at primary school level. There were 31 kindergartens and a special school.

Teacher Education and Quality

Pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes, at sub-degree and degree levels, are provided by tertiary institutions funded through the University Grants Committee (UGC). In-service professional development courses for teachers are provided by the Education Department and professional organisations.

In the 1998-99 academic year, the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) offered 49 courses for more than 9 400 full-time and part-time students. These included pre-service Certificate in Education programmes; in-service initial training for kindergarten, primary, secondary, technical, commercial and special education teachers; refresher training courses for serving teachers in primary and secondary schools; advanced courses of teacher education for non-graduate secondary school teachers of cultural, practical and technical subjects and course in Putonghua. The HKIEd also offered its first degree programme, a four-year full-time Bachelor of Education (Primary), with an initial intake of 100 in September 1998.

Review of Teacher Education

At the government's invitation the UGC undertook, in collaboration with the Advisory Committee on

Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications (ACTEQ), a comprehensive review of teacher education. The principal purpose of the review was to advise the government on the modalities and possible timing and cost implications of implementing the policy objective, announced by the Chief Executive in his 1997 Policy Address, that all new teachers in primary and secondary schools should be professionally trained graduates in the foreseeable future. The UGC and ACTEQ submitted their reports in February 1998.

As a first step, the government will develop the HKIEd into a degree-awarding teacher training institute. Starting from the 1999-2000 academic year, the government will progressively upgrade 2 400 sub-degree teacher training places at the Institute to degree or above level in HKIEd or other tertiary institutions.

School Management Courses

The Education Department provides basic training in education management and administration for primary/secondary school heads and senior teachers. School-based staff development workshops were organised by the Training Unit to promote the importance of teamwork among teachers. Additional training opportunities were offered to teachers of schools which have joined the School Management Initiative (SMI) Scheme to equip them with knowledge in leadership and strategic planning.