The optimising measures for the four senior secondary core subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and Citizenship & Social Development in lieu of Liberal Studies, will be implemented at Secondary 4 in the 2021-22 school year.

The Education Bureau today issued a circular memorandum to schools on the implementation details.

The Curriculum Development Council and the Examinations & Assessment Authority’s Public Examinations Board endorsed the proposals to optimise the four senior secondary core subjects at a joint meeting yesterday.

The bureau said it is grateful and has accepted the optimising proposals endorsed by the two parties.

It noted that the proposals can release lesson time, reduce examination pressure and enhance the flexibility of the senior secondary curriculum.

Schools can thereby flexibly use the released time, taking into consideration their contexts and student needs, to provide more diversified learning experiences, cater for students’ different interests, abilities and aspirations, and nurture their whole-person development and diverse talents.

Optimising the four core subjects concurrently by schools can generate synergy and create more space for students. Given the different contexts of schools across the city, the subjects concerned in the schools have varying degrees of needs for optimisation.

In this light, it is suggested that about 100 to 250 hours of lesson time be released from the optimising proposals to provide flexibility and allow schools to plan carefully according to students’ needs.

Additionally, the number of schools offering Combined Science and Integrated Science, and the number of students taking the two subjects have been decreasing in recent years.

The bureau agrees with the council and the authority's suggestions and has decided to phase out the two subjects starting from Secondary 4 in the 2021-22 school year to release space for schools to concurrently arrange for optimising the curriculum.

It will maintain close communication with the schools currently offering these two subjects.