Class act: The Chief Executive says the education system has become more flexible and diversified, students are learning more happily and effectively, and teachers have enhanced their quality and professionalism.

Primary and secondary education reforms have started to produce good results, Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said in his Policy Address.

"Our education system has become more flexible and diversified. Students are learning more happily and effectively. Our teachers have enhanced their quality and professionalism," he said.

Students have done exceptionally well in international studies and earned favourable comments. In the recently released Trends in Mathematics & Science Study 2003, Hong Kong students ranked high in both mathematics and science, with an increasing proportion of "elite" performers.

University education quality on the rise

Although universities have sustained budget cuts, professors had worked hard to raise the quality of education in recent years, Mr Tung said, and many local universities enjoy a good reputation internationally.

In his 2000 Policy Address, he had seet the target of providing 60% of senior secondary school leavers the opportunity to receive tertiary education within a decade.

"The overall participation rate of the relevant age group in tertiary education has increased from 30% in 2000 to 53% today, and we hope to achieve the target ahead of schedule," he said today.

From 2005 to 2007, the Government will begin to increase second- and third-year places in local universities to provide further opportunities for learning for those who have completed associate degree programmes.

Life-long learning to be promoted

"We will continue to promote life-long learning to upgrade the competitiveness of our workforce. We will also encourage more students from overseas and the Mainland to come to Hong Kong to study, thereby adding a greater international dimension to our tertiary education," Mr Tung said.

Last year, the public was consulted on the "3+3+4" academic structure reform proposal, and the initial response has been positive. "This is an important issue relating to the development of local talent. We will actively take it forward."

Teachers to get more professional development resources

In the next school year, teachers will get additional resources to enable them to continue learning and participate in professional development activities.

Primary schools will be able to implement specialised teaching and secondary schools can prepare for the introduction of the senior secondary schools' new academic structure.

In view of the practical needs for developing education, Mr Tung believes there will be no serious surplus of teachers from now on.

As for the issue of small-class teaching, the Education & Manpower Bureau last September embarked on a three-year study, involving 37 schools, to investigate the best teaching strategies and support measures needed for a small-class environment.

"We believe small-class teaching is a positive development, and we will promote it on the basis of results from the trial and research."