The Government is prepared to invest nearly $8 billion in a new academic structure slated to be introduced in September, 2009, Secretary for Education & Manpower Prof Arthur Li says, but it will have a second-round consultation on the curriculum's detailed design.

Speaking in the Legislative Council today, Prof Li noted the initial consultation showed a "a high degree of community consensus on the new academic structure" - the so-called "3+3+4" that would provide all students with three years in the lower secondary system, three years in senior secondary school, and four-year undergraduate degree programmes.

"We have also set the roadmap and direction of work for the future development of senior secondary and higher education. We will proceed shortly to a second round consultation on the detailed design of the curriculum and assessment frameworks for the new senior secondary subjects," Prof Li said.

Many stakeholders, particularly universities, wanted an early introduction of the new system. However, he noted: "To ensure a smooth transition, we see the need for schools, teachers and concerned parties to be professionally and psychologically prepared for the changes.

"Taking into account the views of all parties and having balanced various considerations, we have now decided to introduce the new academic structure in September 2009."

He added: "We recommend allocating more resources to create space for teachers and school leaders, improve teacher provision, provide more diversified professional development opportunities, and strengthen support for schools, so that schools would be fully equipped for the implementation of the new senior secondary curriculum and assessment framework.

The Government is now prepared to invest $7.9 billion - up from the $6.7 billion it previously proposed, he said. Of that, $3.5 billion is for schools' and universities' capital costs, while the remainder is for meeting non-recurrent costs.

About $1.7 billion will be provided to support schools for the implementation of the new senior secondary in the run-up to 2009. It is estimated that $550 million will be provided for the start-up of the new undergraduate programme.

Upon full implementation of the new academic structure, the Government will have to spend an estimated $2 billion on a recurrent basis - about $1.1 billion to meet additional funding requirements for implementing the four-year undergraduate programmes.

"When the new senior secondary academic structure is in full operation, we will provide schools with the Senior Secondary Curriculum Support Grant, the Diversity Learning Grant, support for students with special educational needs, and enhanced teacher provision for senior secondary classes after the double cohort year, involving altogether a recurrent expenditure of $900 million," Prof Li told lawmakers.

"The Government will review the student financial assistance schemes, including the assistance level, and the loan and repayment arrangements, to ensure that no student will be deprived of the opportunity of education due to lack of means."

The Senior Secondary Curriculum Support Grant can be used to arrange small group teaching for Liberal Studies, and a Web-based resource support platform for teachers' reference. The proposal would see no less than 100 hours of training for Liberal Studies teachers, according to their needs.

Prof Li also pointed to significant support for a single examination leading to a new Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, and noted the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority is making progress in negotiating with overseas universities for direct recognition of both the current examinations and the HKDSE.

"The University Grant Committee and Heads of Universities Committee have expressed support for the new academic structure and curriculum changes, and have indicated that the four subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and Liberal Studies will be considered as mandatory requirements for university entrance," he said.

"The proposal has secured widespread support from our community which demonstrated a common vision for bringing forward the changes. For our goals to be accomplished, we need the partnership of teachers and the education profession.

"We need the full understanding and support of students and parents in order to have a curriculum that will bring our children more joy and benefits of learning. We need to further the consensus of the wider community in bringing forward the necessary reform that would nurture the talents that make Hong Kong a world city.

"Last but not the least, we need the support and funding approval of this Council for the Administration to join hands with our stakeholders in smoothly implementing the new academic structure," he concluded.