Hong Kong: No overturn of language-teaching policy

[Harold Schiffman]

  From Hong Kong's Information Services Department November 16, 2007

November 14, 2007




Education


No overturn of language-teaching policy



The Education Bureau said the Government's ultimate goal is to ensure
students are proficient in both Chinese and English, and it will
continue to help them to be biliterate and trilingual.



Noting concerns about a medium-of-instruction policy review due to
start in 2010, the bureau said, adding it is not the Government's
objective to overturn the existing policy.



It says it aims to make adjustments to the implementation details on a
needs basis, to ensure the policy better aligns with the present
circumstances and needs of the community.



Responding to queries about the policy today, the bureau stressed it
will rectify lop-sided community perceptions on the labels of
"English-medium schools" and "Chinese-medium schools", adding it will
focus on students' benefits.



It noted in the past few years, class observations and public
examination results have affirmed mother-tongue teaching is effective
in helping primary and secondary students acquire subject knowledge,
enhancing their learning interests and improving their prospects for
further studies.



Measures have also been gradually put in place to strengthen English
teaching at all levels and raise students' overall English standards,
it added.



 http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/atschool/071115/html/071115en02001.htm

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