Fresh start: Secretary for Education & Manpower Professor Arthur Li kicks off the new school year with teachers and students of the Taoist Association Ching Chung Secondary School.

Most schools stand ready for the challenges brought by the new "334" academic structure and are set for the preparation work, Secretary for Education & Manpower Prof Arthur Li says.

Kicking off the new school year with teachers and students of the Taoist Association Ching Chung Secondary School today, Prof Li said the new senior secondary academic structure is a major reform initiative that will have a profound impact.

He particularly appreciated the efforts paid by the teaching force. Teachers of different subjects have been actively partaking in training programmes, seminars and sharing sessions and working out subject combinations in accordance with the new academic structure's vision to meet students' needs.

"Their professionalism and zealous efforts are highly respectable," Prof Li said.

Leading role

Noting school principals' professional leadership plays a key role in the new academic structure's implementation, Prof Li said they are leading the reforms in terms of human resources planning, teacher development, curriculum design and resources allocation.

Good principal leadership can boost cohesion and team spirit of the teaching force. By making flexible use of IT and resources, teachers can be relieved of non-teaching duties and can devote their efforts to teaching, he said.

The 334 structure for senior secondary education will be implemented in September 2009. Students who are in Secondary 1 in the 2006-07 school year will be the first cohort of senior secondary students to benefit from the new academic structure.

"The new academic structure offers a broad and balanced curriculum with diversified choices to suit different needs, interests and abilities of students. I have strong confidence in our school principals and teachers. The bureau will continue to work closely with schools in preparing for the new academic structure."