An Education & Manpower Bureau officer has joined the first 'through-train' school in Hong Kong to see firsthand the work of frontline teachers and the latest developments in schools.

Before working with the bureau, Education Officer Kwok Ho-ting taught English and geography in secondary schools.

Last September, through the bureau's Staff Interflow Schemes, Mr Kwok was transferred to Tung Chung Catholic School, teaching Integrated Humanities in the secondary section and General Studies in the primary section. He is also helping the school in its self-evaluation work.

He said many new ideas and measures have emerged since the implementation of education reform, and only through picking up the teaching profession again can he really experience the challenges education workers face nowadays.

"I believe that when I return to my original position in future and assist schools in carrying out education measures, I will be more sensitive to their real needs," he said.

As a School Development Officer for many years, Mr Kwok was tasked with keeping close contact with schools and offering them advice on school administration, curriculum development, teaching and learning, and student counselling.

These frequent exchanges inspired him to go back to the campus.

"My role at the Regional Education Offices was to provide support for schools. Now I can bring my past experience in administration to the school and make it work in the school context," he said.

Scheme fosters closer ties

Tung Chung Catholic School Principal Koo Chao-ming agrees the Staff Interflow Scheme can enable bureau staff and education workers to exchange professional knowledge and experience.

He believes Mr Kwok will get a true understanding of the needs of frontline workers after the interflow period.

"I also hope his rich administrative experience can help reinforce self-evaluation development in our school," said Mr Koo, a pioneer in staff interflow. He joined the bureau's Quality Assurance Inspection Section in the 1996/97 school year under the Teacher Secondment Exercise.

Learning from each other with an understanding heart can help bridge the unnecessary communication gap between officials and schools, he said.

After a semester of adjustment and learning, Mr Kwok is now ready to bring the spirit of co-operative interflow into full play.

Back to school

The 'freshman' had some funny experiences when he first rejoined the teaching force. Mr Koo remembered Mr Kwok had to change his shirt in the middle of the first school day, as being so focused left his shirt soaked with sweat.

The Primary Six class master said the first week on campus was unforgettable. "After leaving the teaching profession for many years, it took me some time to adjust."

A devoted man can never be beaten down by new challenges. "Kwok Sir" is now one of the most popular teachers in the school.

Pupils surround him after school and between classes looking for answers to their questions. Their curiosity is often satisfied.

Being a teacher is no easy task, Mr Kwok said, but the satisfaction it brings is something money cannot buy.

The bureau invites its staff and teachers of public-sector schools on a yearly basis to participate in three interflow schemes to facilitate an exchange of experience and expertise and to enhance overall professionalism of the education sector.

The schemes are the Annual Teacher Secondment Exercise, Scheme of Voluntary Postings to Schools for Non-teaching Departmental Grade Officers at Basic Rank and Cross-grade Posting Scheme.

Subject to personal preferences and operational needs, participants will be arranged to teach in schools or take up work in various bureau divisions such as administrative support, curriculum development, quality assurance inspections, teacher qualification or student counselling.

The schemes have received positive feedback over the years. Most participants found them very effective in broadening their vision and developing their professionalism.

In the 2003-04 school year, over 80 people participated in the three schemes on secondment to different schools or sections of the bureau to build on the strength of their experience and make contributions in new areas of work.