Education | 139
initiate new measures to further enhance students' exposure to and use of English through their school education. To help students build a solid foundation, the Government has provided some $110 million to enhancing the learning and teaching of English in 230 primary schools under the English Enhancement Grant Scheme for Primary Schools. Another $590 million was put aside to revamp the professional development programmes for teachers using English as the MOI.
A 'Scholarship for Prospective English Teachers' was newly introduced in 2010- 11 school year to attract talent to the teaching profession. Students with good English proficiency who will start pursuing English major first degree and/or teacher training programmes in local higher education institutions are eligible. Upon graduation, successful applicants are required to teach English full-time in a primary or secondary school in Hong Kong.
Fostering a Healthy School Environment
School education plays an important role in helping students reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Starting from the 2010-11 school year, all schools are encouraged to formulate a school-based Healthy School Policy (HSP) that should be integrated as a long-term goal of schools' development. The HSP has four elements: developing a management and organisation system for co-ordinating health matters; fostering a healthy school environment; developing students' healthy lifestyles; and identifying needy students and putting in place a referral system. Prime importance is given to inculcating positive attitudes and values in students and helping them acquire life skills and the ability to resist temptation.
Since the launching of the '[email protected]' campaign in the 2006-07 school year, the Education Bureau (EDB) has been working with the Department of Health to promote healthy eating among students.
eating among students. The 'EatSmart School Accreditation Scheme', launched in 2010, received a good response from primary schools in developing a supportive environment to help students develop good eating habits and make wise decisions.
Development of Textbook Review System
The Working Group on Textbooks and e-learning Resources Development submitted its report to EDB in October 2009. With regard to its recommendation on the arrangements for application for textbook revision, EDB has extended the 'three- year rule of no revision' to 'five-year rule of no revision' starting from the 2010-11 school year.
Student Achievements
As in previous years, Hong Kong students continued to excel in international competitions. Hong Kong teams won a total of five gold, six silver and nine bronze medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad, the International Physics Olympiad, the International Olympiad in Informatics and the International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering, and Environment) Project Olympiad.
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