The public response to the latest report on the new academic structure is encouraging, Secretary for Education & Manpower Professor Arthur Li says.

A second-round consultation on the curriculum's design and assessment standard will launch in June and concrete details will be confirmed in mid-2006, Permanent Secretary Fanny Law added.

Speaking on a radio talkshow this morning, Mrs Law said a series of workshops will be organised later this year to help secondary school principals design training plans for their teachers.

The bureau will provide 100 hours training to incumbent teachers to ensure they can manage the new curriculum.

Additional teachers

Mrs Law stressed the new academic reform will also improve the teacher provision for senior secondary classes and will involve some 1,000 extra teachers.

Noting most of the teachers already have a basic understanding of the new academic structure, Mrs Law believed a close partnership between the Government and the principals can help teachers achieve the required standard.

She added a rise in senior secondary school fees is not the result of the reforms. The move aims to increase the cost covering rate from 15% to 18% and the Government will ensure the increase will be a mild and gradual one.

University fees

Speaking on another talkshow, Professor Li said despite the increase in Government funding, university students will have to pay more for quality education. He estimated that university fees will be raised from $42,100 a year at present to $50,000 in 2012.

However, he said actual fees will depend on the financial situation in 2012. If the fiscal situation is good, the Government may make a bigger contribution.

The secretary said existing student financial assistance schemes will continue to ensure that no student will be deprived of the opportunity of education for financial problems.

Speaking on liberal studies, Professor Li said it is a new way of teaching and a small-group teaching approach will be adopted.