[Archive] Chinese language proficiency of secondary school leavers and university graduates

Date of sitting: 23 October 2002

Asked by: Ir Dr Hon HO Chung-tai

Replied by: SEM

Question:

Members of the public have expressed concerns that the Chinese language proficiency, in particular the Chinese writing skill, of secondary school leavers, matriculants and even university graduates has been declining in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

1. the average number of Chinese essays that students taking Chinese subjects at various levels of secondary and matriculation education are required to complete each year, and if the Education Department has issued relevant guidelines to schools;
   
   
2. the respective average scores attained by candidates in the Chinese Language essay-writing papers in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and the Chinese Language and Culture essay-writing papers in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination, in each of the past three years; and
   
   
3. the specific measures taken by universities to enhance the Chinese language proficiency of their students?
   
   

Reply:

Madam President:

1. According to the curriculum requirements set out in the nineties, secondary students are required to work on 12-14 pieces of writing exercises each year while matriculation students have to work on a total of 17 pieces in 2 years. These writing exercises include composition, practical writing, etc. Following the curriculum reform, the Education Department has issued guidelines to schools on quality requirements on top of quantity. Schools may flexibly adjust the quantity of writing exercises according to these guidelines.
   
   In addition, the Curriculum Development Council has developed a new curriculum guide for Chinese Language which was implemented by schools in September 2002, starting from Secondary 1. This guide sets out clear learning targets and concrete learning objectives for writing, taking both quality and quantity into consideration. Students are provided with more writing opportunities through more balanced, diversified and quality activities such as project learning, creative writing, cross-subject learning, and life-wide learning. There is no requirement on the number of writing exercises, so as to allow room for the teachers to exercise their flexibility and professional autonomy. Teachers may design more different types of writing activities and decide on the most appropriate quantity according to their schools' situation and the learning needs of the students. On the basis of traditional composition exercises, different writing types are added to the new curriculum, which would help students develop their creativity and communication skills. It is believed that following the implementation of the new curriculum, both the quality and quantity of students' writing will be gradually enhanced.
2. In each of the past three years, the respective average scores attained by candidates in Chinese language composition papers in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination are as follows:
   
   

   Examination / Year	2000	2001	2002
   Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination "Chinese language"	47.5	47.7	47.4
   Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination Advanced Supplementary Level  "Chinese language and culture"	48.0	50.8	49.5

   
   
   

3. The eight higher education institutions funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) has been taking measures to enhance the Chinese language proficiency of their students. The UGC has been providing additional funding support for these programmes through a Language Enhancement Grant since 1991.
   
   Among the wide variety of language enhancement programmes, some are offered to all students compulsorily to form a basis for more advanced learning and some are designed for specific disciplines to cater for the needs of different professions. There are also courses in Chinese writing and speaking skills to equip students for their future careers, as well as a range of workshops and summer courses to provide them with more flexible and innovative environments to brush up their Chinese. Details of such programmes are set out at Annex.