ENG-2001 — Page 205

EDUCATION

All pre-service training courses provided by the Hong Kong Institute of Education for primary and secondary school teachers at sub-degree level are being progressively upgraded to degree or higher level. Starting from 2004–05, all new graduates of pre- service training programmes for primary and secondary school teachers will be degree holders.

In-service professional development programmes for teachers are provided by the Education Department, UGC-funded institutions and their respective continuing and professional education units, as well as other professional organisations. These courses aim to support the education and curriculum reform and teachers' continuing professional development by updating teachers' knowledge, skills and attitudes. An induction programme, with a series of workshops on teacher skills and professional health sustained throughout the first year of teaching, was also launched for the first time for all beginner teachers from October.

To further enhance the professionalism and professional status of teachers, the Government commissioned a study led by frontline educators to articulate the core competencies for teachers. The outcome of this study will provide the foundation for a continuing professional development framework for teachers. To enhance language education, the Government has also set language proficiency requirements for teachers of English and Putonghua. Relevant training and assessment commenced in 2001.

Principals' Professional Development

To ensure the quality of principalship and to cater for the different developmental needs of principals at various stages of their career, the Education Department organised in the 2000-01 academic year separate professional development programmes for 284 serving principals, newly appointed principals, vice principals and senior teachers aspiring to become principals. More than 1 300 persons took part in these programmes, which included training programmes in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Australia to broaden their perspective and experience.

Hong Kong Teachers' Centre

The Hong Kong Teachers' Centre, set up in 1989 to promote professionalism and a sense of unity among teachers, is supervised by a widely represented advisory management committee. The centre is staffed by the Education Department. It is a multi-faceted and multi-purpose centre with facilities that include seminar/exhibition halls, conference rooms, lecture rooms, a lounge and a multimedia professional library. The centre has two branches one in North Point and the other in Hung Hom.

During the year, the centre published newsletters and other resource materials for teachers, and organised or jointly organised with educational organisations 435 professional/personal development activities for over 33 000 participants. Recently the centre has established an integrated office in each of its branches for the educational/subject-related organisations and provides office facilities and clerical support to facilitate their running of activities to promote the curriculum reform.

Council on Professional Conduct in Education

The council, set up by the Education Department in 1994 as a non-statutory body to enhance teachers' professionalism, advises the Director of Education on matters

157