ENG-1998 — Page 214

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EDUCATION

Hong Kong Examinations Authority

The Hong Kong Examinations Authority (HKEA) is an independent and self- funding statutory body, with members drawn from the teaching profession, tertiary institutions and the business community. Its main function is to operate two local public examinations: the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE). It also helps conduct examinations for overseas and local examining bodies.

During the year, 127 009 candidates sat for the HKCEE and 31 215 sat for the HKALE. The HKALE results of day school candidates were slightly better than those of 1997, with the percentage of awards at grade E and above for A-level subjects being 74.7 (73.8 in 1997). The percentage at grade E and above for day school candidates in the HKCEE was 65.6 compared with 65.4 in 1997. The percentages of grade awards at grade E and above for school candidates in the subjects of Chinese Language and English Language (Syllabus B) were 62.4 and 60.3 respectively, compared with 63.7 and 59.2 in 1997.

Pursuant to an initiative announced in the 1997 Policy Address, HKEA has commissioned a consultancy study to examine whether and how school-based assessments should be introduced into the public examinations. The consultants will submit their final report to the HKEA shortly.

Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation

Established by the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA) Ordinance, the HKCAA is an independent statutory body with 21 members, comprising senior academics from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas countries, as well as local industrialists and professionals. It is supported by a secretariat of full- time staff with expertise and experience in quality assurance and higher education, plus more than 1 000 local and overseas expert consultants.

One of its major roles is to review the non-university degree-awarding institutions of Hong Kong and validate the individual programmes of those who have not acquired self-accreditation status to ensure that the degrees offered meet internationally-recognised standards.

standards. In 1998, programme validations were conducted at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Hong Kong Institute of Education and Lingnan College.

The HKCAA also advises the Civil Service Bureau, other government bureaux and departments, public and private organisations as well as individuals on the comparability of non-local qualifications with local standards for the purpose of staff appointment. It also disseminates information and provides professional advice to members of the public on the standard of overseas education programmes and on the comparability of qualifications. Upon request, the council also provides advisory services to professional bodies in relation to accreditation and educational standards.

With the implementation of the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance in June 1997, the HKCAA was appointed the adviser to the Registrar of Non-local Courses, who is the Director of Education. The HKCAA advises the Registrar whether certain non-local higher and professional courses meet the criteria for exemption or registration, and whether conditions should be imposed. In the past year, the council has assessed about 300 such courses.