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 OE - 14049


B 1,242,855


LA

1134

.H6 STUDIES
B53
in COMPARATIVE


EDUCATION




Education in Hong Kong




U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH , EDUCATION , AND WELFARE
Office of Education
Division of International Education

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
GENERAL LIBRARY
}
 08-14049




EDUCATION IN HONG KONG




by


Marcia T. Berrien
Research Assistant, Far East

and


Robert D. Barendsen
Specialist in Comparative Education
Far Eastern Countries




May 1960




U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION , AND WELFARE

Office of Education , Division of International Education

Washington 25, D.C.
LA
1134


SH
1843
 CONTENTS

Page




Hmmm
Introduction 1

Evolution of Current System 3
Historical Development . 3
Types of Schools • 3




n
Administration • 5

Preprimary and Primary Education 7




∞∞
Secondary Education . 8
Anglo-Chinese Schools 8
Chinese Schools 11
English School .. 14




444
Technical and Vocational Education 15
Ho Tung Technical School for Girls ·
Victoria Technical School
Technical College




7
Adult Education 17




992
Higher Education 18
University of Hong Kong 18
Private Chinese Postsecondary Colleges • 21




~~ 2
Teacher Education • 27
Elementary Teacher Training 27
Secondary Teacher Training · · 29




&
Bibliography 30




3
Appendix: List of Secondary Schools 33




CHARTS AND TABLES


Chart 1. -Hong Kong Educational System , 1960 · 2

Chart 2. -Organization of the Hong Kong Education Department · 4

Table 1. -Number of Schools and Enrollment- 3-31-59 . 6


Table 2. - Sample Curriculum for Anglo-Chinese Secondary Schools . 9

Table 3. - Sample Curriculum for Chinese Middle Schools • 11

Table 4. -Private Chinese Postsecondary Colleges 24-25
 INTRODUCTION


The complex educational system in the British Crown Colony
of Hong Kong reflects the special conditions existing in the Colony.
The way in which this system has evolved in response to the varying
influences of Eastern and Western cultural traditions is of interest
to students of comparative education. Timely information on the
system is also of particular usefulness to those in American
educational institutions who are concerned with considering the
growing number of Hong Kong students seeking to enter institutions
of higher learning in the United States . It is hoped that this
publication will contribute to a better understanding of educational
conditions in Hong Kong on the part of both groups .


This study was drafted in the Far East Unit of the International
Educational Relations Branch, U.S. Office of Education, by Marcia
T. Berrien , research assistant . It was revised to conform to the
latest developments on the Hong Kong educational scene by Robert
D. Barendsen, specialist in comparative education, Far Eastern
countries , during the latter's trip to Hong Kong in February 1960.
The draft was submitted to the Honorable D.J.S. Crozier , Director
of Education in Hong Kong , for comment prior to preparation in its
final form. The assistance of mumerous persomel of the Hong Kong
Department of Education, particularly Mr. Arthur Godman , Dr. Han
Ching-lien, and Miss Cecilia Yam, who typed a revision of the
manuscript , is gratefully acknowledged.




1
 Hong
-
1.
Chart
1
,
system
educational
Kong
/ 9601
2




University
of
Hong
Kong
Chinese
--------------
Postsecondary
Schoo1
Eve
of
Higher Colleges Technical
Chinese Special Teacher
Studies Classes College
Centre Training
College




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--------------- Form
VI VI
King
III /
3




|
Chinese
II V V V
George
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IV IV Anglo
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Chinese
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Primary Primary Primary
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17 :from
Adapted Governmen
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E ducationt
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riennial
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 3

EVOLUTION OF CURRENT SYSTEM



The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong covers a territory of 398
square miles on the southeast coast of China adjoining Kwangtung Province,
approximately 90 miles southeast of Canton. It comprises the island of
Hong Kong proper with its major settlement of Victoria , adjacent islands,
the city of Kowloon opposite Victoria on the mainland, and the New
Territories —a mountainous , predominantly rural strip of land north of
Kowloon to the Chinese border. Except for the period of 1941-45 when
occupied by the Japanese, the Colony has been under British rule since
1841. Its present population of nearly 3,000,000 is largely Chinese
and includes almost 1 million new immigrants since World War II, the
majority of them refugees from the China mainland since 1949.

Historical Development

Educationally the Colony is a meeting ground of East and West.
The first schools in the 19th Century were missionary institutions pat-
terned on western models , principally English, and early Government
schools generally followed the same pattern. From the outset , English
was the usual language of instruction in such schools , at least above
the elementary level . From the early days of the Colony, Chinese schools
also emerged, originally following traditional Chinese educational pat-
terns . After 1926 a system of Chinese schools roughly paralleling the
existing Anglo-Chinese system developed . These Chinese schools were
patterned on the type of schools then emerging on the China mainland;
instruction was in the medium of Chinese (Cantonese) . Originally almost
all of the Chinese schools were private institutions , but Hong Kong
Government support for Chinese schooling has increased in recent years ,
particularly at the primary level.

Types of Schools

Schools in Hong Kong today fall into one of three categories
according to the language of instruction and type of curriculum offered :


1. Anglo-Chinese schools offering an adaptation of British-
type schooling peculiar to Hong Kong and a few other parts
of Southeast Asia


2. Chinese schools similar in form, nomenclature, and curric-
ulum to the educational pattern on the China mainland prior
to 1949 and to that on Taiwan today

3. English schools following closely the British pattern of
education in form, curriculum, and certificates or diplomas
earned.


The relationship of these various types of schools is shown in the
graphic presentation of the Hong Kong school system provided in chart 1.
 O
-
2.
Chart
rganization
Education
Hong
the
of
Department
Kong




Director
of
Education-




Deputy
Director




Director
Assistant Director
Assistant Assistant
Director
Development
(
) A
( dministration
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(




Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior
Principal
Secretary
Education Education Education Education
Officer Officer Officer
A dminis-
(Officer
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( rant Registra
.
tration
Acc'tant )
Woman
( Subsidized Private
)Gov't
Schools
) Schools
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Schoo
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ls




Education Education Secretary Education Secretary
Publica
Officers H ong
(Kon Secretary Organ
O izer
rgani zer
Officer g ,, Offic er
tions Evening T
( echni- Joint
D
( evelop- School A
( dminis- Physical
Institute Music Primary
6
Officer )
Certificate cal tration
) Education
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ment &
Adult .)
Exam
Exams
.)
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from
A
/
1
:
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1
:
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.(.p
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Education
Kong
Department
T IVriennial
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955-58
igure
3
 5
ADMINISTRATION



The legal basis of the present educational system is the Education
Ordinance of 1952 , amended in 1958 , under which all private as well as
public educational institutions fall within the jurisdiction of the Hong
Kong Government Department of Education . The Department is headed by
the Director of Education , who is assisted by a staff of administrative
personnel , senior education officers , and other officials as outlined on
chart 2 .

Administratively, institutions controlled, maintained , and staffed
by the Colony Government through the Department of Education are
Government schools . These include primary and secondary schools , the
Colony's two teacher training colleges , secondary technical schools , a
technical college , and the Evening Institute adult education courses ,
including the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies .

Grant schools are private Anglo-Chinese and Chinese secondary
schools (usually conducted by church and missionary groups ) assisted
financially by the Colony Government through anmal grants-in-aid toward
the running costs of the schools , contributions to provident and building
depreciation funds , and capital grants towards building , major repairs ,
and equipment . In order to qualify for this assistance , a school must
meet certain standards as to staff, premises , equipment , curriculum, and
standard of instruction as set down in the Grant Code , the Education
Ordinance, and the regulations of the Education Department.

Subsidized schools are private primary schools and, since 1957, a
few secondary schools , which are assisted financially by the Government
in accordance with the Subsidy Code . In general , the Government subsidy
is the difference between the approved expenditure of the school and its
income from school tuition fees and any other source, and is dependent
upon the meeting of school standards set by the Code and the Education
Department .

In addition to these three categories are the purely private schools
at all levels from kindergarten through postsecondary colleges and adult
evening schools. According to the provisions of the Education Ordinance
of 1952 together with its subsequent amendments , all such schools must
be registered with the Hong Kong Education Department and must meet
Government standards as to financial management , health standards , and
building safety. Private schools, if run on a nonprofit basis , may
receive interest-free loans or free grants of land from the Government .

Institutions in the category of private schools thus defined account
for a little more than half of the total elementary and secondary school
enrollment in Hong Kong , Government schools for approximately 15 percent ,
and Grant or subsidized schools for the remaining approximately 30 percent .
At the secondary level, 70 percent of the Colony's education is provided in
private schools . Statistics for 1958-59 on the schools in Hong Kong and
their enrollment are given in table 1 on page 6.
 level
and
type
.by
enrollmen
schools
Nof
—
1.umber
Table t
1-59
:
a




GOVERNMENT GRANT SUBSIDIZED PRIVATE TOTAL

Schools
Pupils
Schools Pupils


Kindergarten 19,547
221
19,547
·


Primary 6,055
53
16
37,22 4 166,467
781
1,223
103,972
313,718
373


Secondary

General 5,083
10 20 12,523
9 2,084 43,442
63,132
256
217

&
Technical
2
Vocational 794 4 443 60 4,416 66 5,653
· -


Teacher
Training
2 1,218 2 1,218
- ❤ - - -
1




Postsecond
Other
ary
General 1 135 10 3,556 11 3,691

/
22
Technical
& 5,171 6 294 8 5,465
·
Vocational

:/overnment
from
A
Department
,Education
Summary
.H
G
:
Kong
1 nnual
958-59
dapted
ong
programs
providing
Institutions
counted
are
level
one
than
more
at
sepa
as
Press
p
,13.
.2 959.
rate
level
each
for
schools
Government
,t
Kong
Hong
of
University
The
. he
adult
Institute
Evening
nnd
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.adult
included
not
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ongovernment
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he
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Time
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-
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the
and
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Hong
at
program
are
College
Technical
.
separate
institutions
counted
as
 7

PREPRIMARY AND PRIMARY EDUCATION



Kindergartens in Hong Kong are conducted by private groups and
normally offer a 2-year program for children beginning at age 4. There
are currently over 200 such institutions . Emphasis is on good manners ,
cooperation, and purposeful activity.

The elementary course in all types of schools at the present time
is 6 years , designated as Primary 1 through Primary 6. Pupils normally
enter Primary 1 at approximately age 6.


In 1949, a Joint Primary 6 Examination was instituted in Govern-
ment primary schools , and has been increasingly used in Grant , subsidized,
and private schools in recent years . Today entrants to all Government
secondary schools and at least a percentage of the entrants to most Grant
and subsidized secondary schools are chosen on the basis of this exami-
nation. Since 1956 it has been combined with a merit scholarship
examination for the award of financial aid in secondary school .


In Anglo-Chinese schools instruction begins in Chinese , but ends
in English, with Chinese language taught in the upper grades as a
special subject . Chinese primary schools are conducted in Chinese
(Cantonese) with English begun in the third year as a second language.
Instruction in the three English primary schools is given entirely in
English.


The great pressure of Hong Kong's expanding population and refugee
problems has been particularly acute at the elementary school level. In
order to meet the need , the Government began, in 1954-55, a 7-year
expansion program designed to provide school facilities for all children
aged 6-11 in the Colony. This effort has included a large-scale school
building program, increased aid to private schools through subsidy, the
increase of class size to an average of 45, the use of double sessions ,
and an increase in various types of teacher training programs . As a
result , primary schools in urban areas operate both morning and after-
noon schools . Only those in rural areas of the New Territories operate
in single sessions . Some urban schools , particularly private institu-
tions , hold special afternoon classes of 2 hours ' duration to provide
general primary schooling for children whom the regular school system
cannot accommodate , but the need for such arrangements is rapidly dimin-
ishing. At present there is no provision for compulsory schooling in
the Colony.
8

SECONDARY EDUCATION




The school year in Hong Kong begins in September and ends in July.
This is normally divided into 2 semesters separated by the Chinese New Year
holiday which falls in late January or early February. A few Anglo-Chinese
secondary schools operate on a 3-term or -quarter basis .

Anglo-Chinese Schools


Anglo-Chinese secondary schools , which frequently use the title
" college" or " English school" in their names , offer from 5 to 7 years of pre-
university preparation organized in Forms I through VI . Forms I through V
(7th through 11th years of schooling ) provide_general academic instruction
preparing students for the Hong Kong English School Certificate Examina-
tions (see below) . Lower and Upper Form VI (12th and 13th year of schooling) ,
also called Matriculation Class , prepares students for the University of
Hong Kong Matriculation Examinations . English is the medium of instruction
for the majority of subjects ; Chinese language , literature and history are
taught in Chinese (Cantonese ) . The actual subjects studied and the amount
of time allocated to each varies slightly from one school to another
although, in general , the curriculum in recent years in Forms I-V tends to
follow that officially recommended by the Hong Kong Government Education
Department as given in table 2 .


Not all schools offer all of the subjects listed in table 2 , which
is based on a recommended weekly minimum of 40 periods of 40 minutes each .
The vocational designation may include wood/metal work, geometric construc-
tions /mechanical drawing , dressmaking , or commercial courses . The Department
further suggests that the number of English periods may be increased in Forms
I and II if necessary, and that extra periods in art and music be provided
in Forms III-V for students planning to take these subjects in the school
certificate examinations . Transcripts from various Anglo-Chinese schools
often reflect more emphasis on English , Chinese , and mathematics than that
indicated in the time allocations recommended by the Hong Kong Education
Department . The mathematics covered by such transcripts usually includes
arithmetic and algebra in the lower forms , and algebra , geometry, and
trigonometry in Forms IV and V.


The Hong Kong English School Certificate Examinations , taken at the
end of Anglo-Chinese Form V , are external examinations conducted by the Hong
Kong English School Certificate Syndicate . This syndicate is made up of a
chairman and several other officers of the Education Department nominated by
the Hong Kong Director of Education, the heads of 23 member schools or their
deputies , and representatives of other participating schools . The member or
syndicate schools include the Government Anglo- Chinese and technical secondary
schools , a majority of the Grant schools , and St. Stephen's Private Boys'
College . Other schools which are accepted by the syndicate as offering a
 9


Table 2. -Sample curriculum for Anglo-Chinese secondary schools




Number of class periods per week
Subjects
Form I Form II Form III Form IV Form V




English 12 12 10 10 10


Chinese 6 6 6 6 7

Chinese History 1 1 1 1 1


History 3 3 3 3 3


Geography 3 3 3 3 3

Mathematics 5 6 6 6 8

General Science 3 3 3 3 5
or
Physics 1 1 2 2 4
and
Chemistry 1 1 2 2 4
and/or
Biology 1 1 2 2 4


Biology ( girls schools ) 3 3 3 3 4

Art 2 2 2-3 2-4 2-5

Music 2 2 2-3 2-4 2 -·5

Civics 1 2 2 2 2


Domestic Science 2 4 5 6


Handicrafts and/or
3 4 5
Vocational

Biblical Knowledge 2 2 2
2




Physical Education 2 2 2 2
10


full and satisfactory secondary program up to the general standard expected
of syndicate schools may enter their Form V students in the examinations .
Such institutions are known as " participating schools . " 1
/


Students ordinarily take the examinations in from 6 to 8 subjects .
The result in each subject is graded as " pass" (approximately 40 percent ) ,
" credit" (usually the top 33 percent of those candidates passing in the sub-
ject ) , or " distinction" (approximately the top 3.5 percent of the passing
candidates ) . To obtain the official Hong Kong English School Certificate
awarded by the Education Department , a student must pass in English language
and in at least 4 other subjects , including 1 foreign language or social
science and 1 science or mathematics subject . Elementary Chinese or ele-
mentary mathematics counts as a half subject for this purpose.


The examinations are held annually about the first week in June , with
the first results available to the schools in late July or early August .
Official certificates , on the letterhead of the Hong Kong Education Depart-
ment , are issued to the students as soon as possible thereafter . The results
of the certificate examinations are normally given in lieu of, or as final
grades for, the second semester of Form V on the student's school transcript .


The exact criteria for entrance to the university-preparatory Form VI
or Matriculation Class is not officially set down, and tends to vary a little
depending on the school and the year. In general , about one-half of those
students obtaining the English School Certificate are considered qualified
to go on to Form VI . Competition for available places in the Anglo-Chinese
schools offering the full 7-year program plus such other factors as family
finances tend to reduce the actual number continuing their schooling beyond
School Certificate level . For students not proceeding to higher education
or to specialized postsecondary training , the School Certificate normally is
considered a terminal secondary level in Hong Kong .


Form VI students ordinarily specialize in 5 or more subjects in which
they expect to take either the British General Certificate of Education
Examinations or the University of Hong Kong Matriculation Examinations . In
general , the first year of Form VI ( Lower VI , or VI A) prepares students in
several subjects for the " ordinary" level examinations ; the second year
(Upper Form VI or VI B ) allows specialization in 2 or more subjects for the
" advanced" level examinations . The number of hours per week in each subject
varies somewhat according to the school and to the number and type of subjects
taken by the student .




1/
Appendix I giving a list of secondary schools includes an indication of
member and participating schools as of February 1960 .


2/ Schools offering Form VI also are indicated in Appendix I.
 11

Chinese Schools


Chinese secondary schools offer a 6-year program divided into Junior
Middle I -III ( 7th through 9th year) and Senior Middle I -III ( 10th through
12th year) . The medium of instruction is Chinese ( Cantonese ) , with English
taken as a second language throughout the 6 years . The Hong Kong Education
Department suggests that these schools allocate their class time for various
subjects as follows :



Table 3. - Sample curriculum for Chinese middle schools


Number of class periods per week

Junior middle Senior middle
Subjects

I II III I II III


Chinese 8 8 8 8 8 9


English 8 8 8 8 8 8


History 3 3 3 3 3 3


Geography 3 3 3 3 3 3

Mathematics 7 7 7 5-7 5-7 5-7