香港中學校長會致教育統籌委員會的公開信

李雪英

香港中學校長會主席

文章刋登於明報論壇2015年5月6日

香港政府剛於四月二十二日公佈委任教育統籌委員會新主席，任期四月三十日開始，教育統籌委員會的角色及組成再度引起教育界的關注。歷任六年，上屆主席鄭慕智博士2009年上任之初，正值全港新高中學制正式開始推行。至今新一屆主席雷添良先生剛接任主席一職，第四屆香港中學文憑考試已行將結束。

作為本港「最重要的教育諮詢組織」 (引自官方網頁簡介) ，究竟教育統籌委員對於新學制過去六年推行如何總結？對於香港教育未來發展有何願景？香港中學校長會認為教育統籌委員會有必要就這些極其重要及迫切的教育議題，盡快與學界展開專業對話。

熟悉香港教育發展的教育工作者，不會不知道教育統籌委員會與教育改革的歴史關係。香港千禧年教改浪潮，正正是由當年教育統籌委員會揭開序幕，而新高中學制更是當年被定性為所有變革重中之重。繼2000年出版《香港教育改革建議》，教育統籌委員會從2002至 2006年，先後發表了四份進展報告，以跟進這重要改革的發展需要。

然而讓人不解的是，2006年之後，當教育改革由籌劃至全面展開，教育統籌委員會竟再沒有任何有關新學制及教改的公開報告。教育統籌委員會在《教育改革進展報告 (四) 》最後一段所作的承諾「教統會作為重要的教育諮詢組織，將繼續跟進和協調教育改革的工作和其他教育事宜，與各持份者㩦手實踐教育改革的目標」，結果沒有下文。

我們不禁要問，當初大力推動教改、負責統籌教育的委員會，在教改十五年後的今天是怎樣評價各項改革進展，教改之路是否能夠貫徹原來理念、實現預期目標？還是仍在艱難之中進退失據？抑或不知不覺間偏離航道，越行越遠？新學制對香港整體教育帶來甚麽正面或負面影響？

毫無疑問，新學制是香港有史以來最大規模的教育改革，涵蓋範圍包括短時間全面同步進行的課程、教學、評核、初中、高中、大學銜接、升學、出路等多種變革，對學生學習、成長及發展影響至為廣泛深遠。為此，教育統籌委員會有責任進行全面、客觀及獨立研究，向學界與社會市民作公開諮詢及檢討報告。

香港中學校長會自2000年以來，一直關注新高中學制的發展，分別於2010 ，2011 及2013 年進行全港學校問卷調查，並舉行多次研討會及新聞發佈會。我們認為現行新學制檢討機制必需作出改革，由制定政策措施的教育局包辦自己檢討自己的方式，改為由教育統籌委員會成立一個具代表性、專業性及認受性的委員會進行獨立檢討。我們所建議的獨立檢討方向，亦與教育局及考試評核局近期進行的新學制短期及中期檢討，本質上迥然不同。現時兩局的檢討主要涉及技術層面，嘗試在部份措施推行細節上個別微調，作為短期應變措施，這方向或未可厚非。但我們相信有效的檢討，必須觸及深層問題的整體關係架構，並在政策方向上作宏觀調整。

根據我們多年調查結果、業界交流及前線觀察，香港中學校長會認為新學制檢討必須回應下列幾個關鍵且環環相扣的問題：

1. 高中課程的寬廣

新高中課程的理念是「讓學生有機會獲得涵蓋各個學習領域的經歷」，簡單地說，學生選科可以文中有理，理中有文。但在現行各種資源條件下，這種寬廣而均衡的課程多大程度上可以真正實現？若未能真正實現，又有沒有探究原因何在？解決方法何在？

2. 應用學習的機會

應用學習的原意是在學術性學科以外開設較實用性學科，為不同能力和興趣的學生提供多元學習機會。在現時資助及開辦模式下，多少學生可以受惠？課程在升學和就業方面是否被認受？

3. 公開考試的壓力

教改期望改革公開考試，「拆牆鬆綁」，為師生創造空間，把時間和精神投放於學習活動，讓學生發揮獨立思考及創意。但經過四屆的香港中學文憑考試，學生和老師的實際經驗與感受是否如此？

4. 學習經歴的擴闊

新學制倡議學生擴闊不同學習經歴，以發掘及發展多元興趣及潛質，促進全人發展。在現時課程、課時、考試及大學收生的影響下，學生是否有足夠時間和誘因投入及享受各種學習經歴？

5. 學習差異的照顧

教改的原則是「學生為本」，「永不放棄」，移除制度上的學習障礙，讓每一個學生發揮學習主動性，發展各方面的才華。以大部份學科的課程廣度及深度，能力稍遜及有特殊學習需要的學生能否得到公平的照顧？教改十多年，昔日所提及的多元照顧、多元出路，又是否能真正切合不同能力學生的需要？

6. 大學收生的機制

教改建議減少過份偏重公開考試成績，充份考慮學生的全面表現，鼓勵學生全人發展。以現時大學學位有限及爭相錄取考試成績特優的學生，情況是否理想？學生的個人素質、多方面能力、學業以外的學習表現，又是否被充份重視？

教育改革從來是複雜、曲折而漫長的過程，有其歷時性及延續性，需要不時檢視、調整、修訂及規劃。 統籌教育者既要了解過去的歴史演變，亦要把握現在的真實情況，更要展望未來的發展方向。

香港教育今天最需要但最缺乏的是整體統籌，從根本問題全盤檢討，作前瞻性、具教育願景和改革魄力的長遠規劃。一天我們未能走出過去「統籌缺席」的年代，香港教育的長遠規劃便無從開始。一天我們未能做好2000年教改及新學制的檢討，我們便無法有效進行規劃，為香港教育的未來揭開新一頁。

這樣一個歷史重任，不由教改最初推動者及「最重要的教育諮詢組織」教育統籌委員會肩起，還有誰更恰當？

 

Newspaper article on our expectation of the role of the Education Commission Written by Miss Lee Suet Ying, Chairperson of HKAHSS 6/5/2015

Summary

The Education Commission (EC) is ‘the most important education consultative body in Hong Kong’ (exact wordings in government’s official website), and the new academic structure and curriculum are the most large-scale education reform in the history of Hong Kong. Since the EC unveiled the reform in 2000, it has published four progress reports from 2002 to 2006. Thereafter, no more public report on the reform has been published.

Now that the reform has reached its 15th year, we would like to know how the EC evaluate the progress, whether it has met its original goals, and what positive and negative effects the new academic structure has on education in Hong Kong. As the new academic structure has been introduced for six years, the EC should talk to the education profession to review the implementation and share with them its vision on the future development of education in Hong Kong. The EC has a responsibility to carry out a complete, objective and independent study through open consultation.

Reform the review mechanism

Since the Education Bureau (EDB) is the body that has formulated and implemented the reform, it is inappropriate for it to review itself. An independent and representative committee should be set up by the EC to carry out the review. The scope and essence of the review should also be different from those carried out by the EDB and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. It must address the following issues:

1. Curriculum diversification

The aim of the New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum is to provide students with diversified learning experience. This means that students can pick both science and arts subjects as they like. Limited by the existing resources, we wonder to what extent this goal has been realized. If we are still far behind, have we tried to find out the reasons for the problem and the solution to it?  

2. Applied-learning opportunity

The purpose of applied-learning is to provide diversified learning experience for students with different learning ability and interests through non-academic and practical subjects. We are concerned about how many students have benefitted from this and whether the applied-learning curriculum is recognized by higher education institutions and prospective employers.

3. Public examination pressure

An objective of the education reform is to reduce the pressure of public examination so as to give more time and space for students and teachers to engage in other learning activities and to encourage independent and creative thinking among students. As the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education has been introduced for four years, it is time to find out the real experience of our teachers and students in this respect.

4. Widening of learning experience

The NSS structure encourages students to widen their learning experience so that they may explore and develop their interests and potential to achieve whole-person development. However, constrained by the curriculum, class time, examinations and university admission policies, we doubt if students have the time and inducement to take part in and enjoy a wide variety of experiential learning.

5. Learner diversity

Another purpose of the reform is to remove systemic learning obstacles to enable every student to take initiative to develop his/her talents. In view of the breadth and depth of most subjects in the curriculum, we wonder if students with weaker learning ability or special needs have been looked after fairly and appropriately.

6. University admission mechanism

The reform urges schools to put less emphasis on students’ results in public examinations, but to consider their overall performance more. However, due to limited vacancies, universities vie to admit students with the best academic results. We doubt if students’ personal quality, capabilities and non-academic achievements have been given due consideration.

The need for overall coordination

What we need the most now is an overall coordinator with the vision and capability to forge a comprehensive review of the reform and to formulate a long-term plan for the future. The EC, as the proponent of the reform and ‘the most important education consultative body’, is the most suitable entity to take up this role.