Permanent Secretary for Education & Manpower Fanny Law says the curriculum and assessment guides of all new senior secondary subjects will be released in the middle of next year.

The Examinations & Assessment Authority also plans to issue sample questions for teachers' reference in early 2008.

In her Realising the vision of 334 column published today on the bureau's website, Mrs Law said the second round consultation on the detailed design of the curriculum and assessment frameworks completed in early October and received feedback from 463 schools.

New subjects

Over 80% of schools are satisfied with the revisions made after the first consultation exercise. The average number of new senior secondary subjects schools intend to offer is 15, including the four core subjects.

For schools that have less than 24 classes, the number and potential combination of elective subjects offered will be constrained by fewer teachers available.

Almost 90% of the schools indicated they will offer Chinese history, while those intending to offer visual arts, Chinese literature, music, and design and applied technology accounted for 70%, 50%, about 15% and 16% of the respondent schools.

About 17% of the schools said they are willing to offer learning opportunities to students of other schools. More than 50% of the schools expressed their interest in offering career-oriented studies courses.

The highest demand for training of teachers will arise in the 2006-07 school year, Mrs Law said.

The bureau will design and arrange professional development programmes for teachers accordingly to cater for the needs of all teachers within the given timeframe.

Measures to dispel anxieties

Mrs Law said both principals and teachers supported the principles of standards-referenced reporting and school-based assessment, but indicated that they have yet to fully grasp the mode of implementation of school-based assessment.

"After the curriculum design of new senior secondary subjects has been finalised in the middle of next year, the specific details of assessment will become clear.

"At present, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority plans to issue sample questions for teachers' reference in early 2008, four years before the Diploma of Secondary Education examination is conducted."

The bureau will respond actively to the invaluable views expressed by principals and teachers, she said.