ENG-2000 — Page 205

EDUCATION

Extra-curricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities are an integral part of school life. The Education Department provides guidance and advice to teachers, subsidises some activities, and co-ordinates many inter-school programmes and activities. In 2000, these included the Community Youth Club, the Hong Kong Award for Young People, the Chinese Cultural Projects Incentive Award Scheme, the Schools Dance Festival, the School Drama Festival, sports, recreational and various subject-based and interest-based activities.

To help students develop their potential in leadership skills, determination and integrity, as well as a sense of social responsibility and positive attitude towards life, the Government has set aside $50 million to promote the activities of uniformed and youth groups in schools. To this end, a Steering Committee led by the Director of Education was set up towards the end of the year.

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 2000, 25 888 students, including 3 526 at the kindergarten level, were enrolled in 65 international schools offering curricula such as American, Australian, British, Canadian, French, German-Swiss, Japanese, Korean and Singaporean. In the 2000-01 school year, 24 of these international schools operated up to secondary level, and 37 at primary level. There were 32 kindergartens and a special school.

Diversity in School Operation

Over 90 per cent of the school places are government-funded. In view of diverse community needs, fast changing technology and increasing globalisation, there is a need to inject more variety into the school system so as to give parents wider choices. The Government has introduced various measures to facilitate the development of a vibrant Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) and private school sector. These include allocating government-built school premises and land for the operation of non-profit- making DSS schools, and granting land at nominal premium for the establishment of non-profit-making private independent schools.

Over the past two years, nine government-built school premises have been allocated to school sponsors as DSS schools. Two sites have been allocated for school operators to build DSS schools, and another five sites for non-profit-making private independent schools. Aided primary schools may, as from the 1999-2000 school year, apply to join the DSS as well.

To enhance accountability, all successful applicants will have to enter into a 10-year service agreement with the Government, which will periodically review the performance of the schools during the term of the service agreement.

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, the Hong Kong Baptist University, the

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