HKAHSS Recommendations for the Chief Executive Policy Address 2024

Executive Committee

The Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools (HKAHSS)

19 September 2024

[Contents of this letter in Chinese was sent to the Chief Executive on 19 September 2024. Copies have also been sent to:

Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong,

Secretary for Education,

Chairman and Members of the Panel on Education, Legislative Council, and

Chairman and Members of the Education Commission.]

 

As a professional body, The Hong Kong Association for the Heads of Secondary Schools (HKAHSS) has all along been expressing our views on education and youth development.  The HKAHSS is happy to see the publication of the “Youth Development Blueprint” by the HKSAR Government in December 2022, pointing out that “Our vision is to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for our country and Hong Kong, and equipped with global perspective, an aspiring mind-set and positive thinking.  In this connection, we are committed to providing young people with an enabling environment to cherish hope for the future and strive for continuous growth, so that they can unleash their full potential in society and contribute to Hong Kong, the country and the world.”  After the pandemic, the education sector in Hong Kong faces different challenges.  Based on the HKSAR Government’s rationale on youth development, the HKAHSS Executive Committee has the following recommendations for Policy Address 2024:

 

1. Enhancing the Well-being

 

In the “Learning Compass 2030” suggested by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in the leaning process of students, the learners need to have some “core competencies” to develop their leadership skills and potential, which include mental and physical well-being, social and emotional management skills, to further develop different abilities and transformative competencies.  The OECD also pointed out that students’ individual well-being is conducive to group’s and society’s well-being, which will help enhance the well-being of students.  This then forms the virtuous cycle.

As reflected in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022, the areas with the top-performing education systems put emphasis on students’ mental health and implement different measures in education to enhance student’s well-being.  For example, in Singapore, besides cancelling streaming and mid-term examination, Full Subject-Based Banding is gradually implemented in secondary schools, allowing students to choose the curriculum which suits themselves.  In Macau, diversified assessment methods are promoted, with “extra-curricular activities” incorporated into the primary to senior secondary curriculum planning; which allows students to adopt adaptive learning with a balance in learning and rest and have their stress in study reduced.  The measures of these two areas cover academic system, formal curriculum, school activities, internal assessments, public examinations and the system for further education.

In recent years, there are frequent cases of student suicide in Hong Kong.  The situation is worrying.  According to the results of the “Survey on the Well-being of Hong Kong Students” published in August 2023 by the Lingnan University, the score for the well-being of Hong Kong students was 6.62 (the full score was 10), with a drop of 2.2% compared to that of last year; which is also the lowest since 2015-2016 (the score was 6.52).  To enhance the well-being of Hong Kong students, we have the following recommendations:

• The HKSAR Government should set up the High-level Committee again to coordinate and implement effective measures to prevent youth suicide; to conduct in-depth investigation on the mental health condition of students and teachers; and to implement short-term and medium-term targeted policies.
• Optimise the transition from primary school to secondary school to enhance the well-being in schools. At present, the standard number of students in each class in secondary schools is 33 to 34.  Small class teaching is adopted in primary schools with 25 students in each class.  Policy Address 2022 pointed out that small class teaching would be implemented in over 90% of public sector primary schools after two school years.  Going along with the target of small class teaching for primary schools achieved, the HKSAR Government should also optimise the transition to secondary schools and reduce the number of students in each class in secondary schools in an orderly manner.  This can free up space for teachers to take good care of students’ mental health and learner diversity; and improve the over-crowded learning environment, allowing students to grow healthily and happily, to develop potential, and to realise self-worth.
• Along with the announcement of developing universities for Applied Science in Policy Address 2023, the HKSAR Government should amend the minimum entrance requirements for university admission from “332A2” to “total grade points in the best 5 subjects”. This can avoid placing too much focus on language ability; and can more holistically take care of students of different abilities.  Hong Kong students used to have good results in international assessments (including PISA).  However, as the total number of places at universities has always been 15,000 for a long time, Hong Kong secondary school students need to face keen competition to be admitted to universities.  Many of them need to study Associate Degree programmes before they can be admitted to the Degree programmes.  The HKSAR Government should gradually increase the total number of 4-year bachelor degree places, which can enhance the self-confidence of the youth and make them have hope for the future.
• In the long term, the HKSAR Government should seriously study the policies and measures which enhance students’ well-being as implemented in the education systems of the nearby areas with similar cultures. The good examples should be taken as reference to fully review our academic system, curriculum, learning experiences, assessments, etc. We hope that the HKSAR Government will listen to the opinions of different stakeholders and the academic professionals; develop overall policies which can enhance students’ well-being; allocate resources to meet the actual needs; and ensure full implementation of the policies. 

2. Promoting Professionalism and Sustainable Development in Schools

In President Xi Jinping’s speech in the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20^th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President Xi pointed out that “Strengthening teachers takes precedence over strengthening education”.  To cultivate teaching force of high quality and make teachers be respected in the society as professionals, supporting and attracting talents who are passionate in teaching, sincere in teaching and take teaching as their life-long career is important.  In that way, schools can then have sustainable improvement, which will benefit the education of the next generation.  Below are our recommendations:

• Today, when going “from stability to greater prosperity”, the HKSAR Government should strengthen its partnership with schools and build up mutual trust, allowing schools to implement school-based management and move towards professional autonomy. The HKSAR Government can collaborate with the education sector to enhance the well-being of the youth and provide opportunities for multiple development.
• Sustainable development in the educational ecology is the foundation to strengthen education and strengthen teachers. The HKSAR Government should actively discuss with the education sector to build up consensus on how to handle well the issue of class and teacher reduction due to the structural decrease in future local school-age population; which allows teachers to nurture students to grow in professional and ideal school environment.
• Make good use of the energy of the teaching force. Set up platforms bearing open attitude and creative spirit for professional exchange. Encourage school-based or inter-school collaboration, devise and implement different types and modes of creative measures in education.  For example, in response to the rollout of the HKSAR Government’s “Top Talent Pass Scheme”, allowing some secondary schools to provide boarding facilities should be considered; which can help the newly-arrived students adapt to the school life more quickly.  To meet the needs of individual students, some schools can offer school-based curriculum which matches with the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.  Make good use of the experience and facilities in science education in secondary schools to plan the collaboration between primary and secondary schools to strengthen teachers and strengthen education in Science in primary schools.

3. ⁠Strengthening STEAM Education and Technology to facilitate Learning and Teaching

Technological development runs fast.  As reflected in PISA 2022, the areas with the top-performing education systems attach strong importance to STEAM Education and how to use technology to assist learning.  In Singapore, “The EdTech Master Plan 2030” is devised to strengthen students’ knowledge of digital technology and ability to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI).  Regarding technology-assisted learning, the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS), which is an online platform, is set up for teachers’ and students’ use.  In December 2023, teachers are able to use the new software tools such as the Language Feedback Assistant for English (LangFA-EL) and the Short Answer Feedback Assistant (ShortAnsFA) to assist marking assignments.  This can free up space for teachers to coach students in learning more effectively.  In Macau, the “Ten-Year Plan for the Development of Non-Tertiary Education (2021-2030)” puts the focus on “strengthening creativity and technology education”.  The related work includes review the curricula of Mathematics, Natural Science and I.T., optimise science and technology competition activities, build a smart campus and train teachers and equip them with teaching abilities related to creativity and smart education.  Taking the above as reference, we have the following recommendations for the HKSAR Government:

• Review and renew the Technology Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – Secondary 6) (2017) to match with the drastic development in STEAM in recent years, which can make the primary and the secondary education keep abreast of the times.
• Make good use of technology and AI to promote adaptive learning strategies which suit the Hong Kong curriculum and students’ needs; to develop suitable electronic learning tools, to provide individualised learning opportunities, to promote student self-regulated learning, and to cater for learner diversity.
• Timely and strategically introduce the AI tools / system to support learning and teaching, and provide appropriate teacher training to enhance students’ learning effectiveness, cultivate talents and equip them for the future.
• Set up mechanism for qualifying the AI tools / systems used in education to ensure that the AI tools / systems chosen by schools observe the following seven ethical principles: “Human Supervision”, “Reliability, Stability and Security”, “Data Privacy”, “Beneficial Artificial Intelligence”, “Fairness”, “Transparency and Explainability”, and “Accountability”.

4. ⁠Connecting with the World and Broadening Global Perspectives

Policy Address 2023 stated that “we will develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education.  This would bring benefits to our local students and help widen their international perspectives.  This would also inject professional vibrancy and growth impetus to our post-secondary education, enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international city and taking our post-secondary education to a higher level”.  Along with the direction of developing Hong Kong as an international hub for education, the HKSAR Government should coordinate that with basic education.  We have the following recommendations:

• Hong Kong students need to maintain their outstanding English abilities to play the role of “super-connectors” who are “enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world” continuously. The HKSAR Government needs to maintain the prevailing position of having English as Hong Kong’s competitive edge all the time, such as having the English radio and television channels, the English media and multi-lingual working environment in order to “connect with the world and gather the talents”.
• The HKSAR Government continues to allocate resources to implement the many measures which enhance students’ English abilities; and keep the current arrangement of the co-existence of some schools adopting Chinese whereas some schools adopting English as the medium of instruction.
• Study the possibility of allowing the local public sector schools to recruit students holding passports of other countries and with visas to stay in Hong Kong; and study the feasibility of offering non-local curriculum to attract overseas students and connect with the world.
• Make good use of international resources and the network of the different countries’ Consulates in Hong Kong to organise international exchange, competitions, conferences, overseas study tours, and sister schools scheme with different countries so as to cultivate students’ global perspectives.

The progress and development of any society depends on the cultivation of talents through education.  In 2024-2025, the HKSAR Government’s budget on education is HK$115.7 billion, which is around 3.66% of the GDP, or 14.9% of the HKSAR Government’s budget on the total expenditure.  This is close to the resource placement benchmark as suggested by many organisations of the United Nations in the “Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action”, i.e. the expenditure on education, should be at least 4% to 6% of the GDP, or /and 15% to 20% of the total expenditure.  We hope the HKSAR Government will continue to allocate adequate resources for Hong Kong’s continuous development in education when our economy improves.  This can then fulfil the vision to “to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for our country and Hong Kong, and equipped with global perspective, an aspiring mind-set and positive thinking”.

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香港中學校長會對2024施政報告的建議

[執委會已於2024年9月19日去信行政長官提出建議。

副本亦寄送：

行政會議非官守議員召集人；

教育局局長；

立法會教育事務委員會主席及委員；及

教育統籌委員會主席及委員。]

 

香港中學校長會秉持專業，一直就教育事務及年輕一代的發展表逹意見。本會樂見特區政府在2022年12月公布《青年發展藍圖》，提出：「我們的願景是培育青年成為愛國愛港、具備世界視野、有抱負和具正向思維的新一代。為此，我們致力提供有利環境，讓他們對未來抱有盼望，自強不息，在社會盡展所長，繼而貢獻香港、國家以至世界。」疫情以後，香港學界面對不同挑戰，因應政府的青年發展理念，香港中學校長會執行委員會對2024年施政報告提出以下意見：

1. 提升幸福感

經濟合作暨發展組織(OECD)在「學習指南針 2030」(Learning Compass 2030)提出：在學習過程中，若要學習者能發揮主導性，發展潛質，需要有穩固的「核心基礎」，包括生理及心理健康、社交及情緒管理技巧，才能進一步發展不同的能力及變革能力。OECD 亦指出，學生個人的幸福感有利促進集體、社會的幸福感，社會的幸福感又有助提升學生的幸福感，形成一個循環。

在2022年「學生能力國際評估計劃」(PISA) 表現優異的地區，均重視學生的精神健康，透過不同的教育措施以提升學生的幸福感。例如：新加坡取消分流和校內期中考試，中學陸續實施三種程度的全科目編班計劃(Full Subject-based Banding)，供學生選擇適合自己的課程；澳門則推動多元化評核，把「餘暇活動」納入小學至高中的課程計劃，協助學生建立平衡學習、休憩需要的適性學習，減輕學習壓力。兩地措施涵蓋學制、正規課程、學校活動、校內考評、公開考試和升學制度等不同範疇。

近年，香港學生自殺事件頻生，情況令人擔憂。根據嶺南大學在2023年8月公布的「香港學童快樂指數調查」，香港學童快樂指數為6.62分(滿分為10)，較上年度跌2.2%，亦是自2015-16年度(6.52)以來的新低。為提升香港學生的幸福感，我們建議：

 

• 特區政府重設高級別委員會，專責統籌及執行防止青少年輕生的有效措施，深入調查研究學童和教師的精神健康狀況，作短中期針對性的措施。
• 優化升中銜接，提升校園幸福感。目前中學每班的標準人數是33至34人，小學的小班教學為 25人一班。2022年施政報告提出，用兩個學年時間讓超過九成公營小學實施小班教學。隨著小學小班教學目標達成，特區政府宜優化升中銜接，有序地下調中學的每班學生人數，給予空間，讓教師好好照顧學生的精神健康和個別差異；同時扭轉一向過度擠逼的學習環境，讓孩子健康、愉快地成長，發展潛能，實現自我價值。
• 隨著2023年施政報告宣布發展應用科學大學，特區政府宜修訂「332A2」的大學收生最低要求，改以計算「最佳5科總分」，避免評估過於集中學生的語文能力，能夠更全面照顧不同能力的學生。此外，香港學生在國際評估(包括PISA)的成績一向不俗，但因為大學學位長期以來維持在15,000個，以致香港中學生須面對劇烈競爭，不少更要先修讀副學位課程，再輾轉升讀大學。特區政府宜逐步增加4年學士學位課程學額，讓年輕人能提升自信心，對前程抱有希望。
• 長遠而言，特區政府宜認真研究鄰近文化相近的教育體系在提升學生幸福感的政策和措施，擇優參照，在學制、課程、學習經歷、評核等作全面檢視。我們盼望特區政府廣泛聽取各持份者及學者專家的意見，制訂提升學生幸福感的整體政策，按實際需要投入資源，確保政策得以全面落實。

2. 促進教育專業及學校持續發展

習近平主席在二十屆中央政治局第五次集體學習時的講話，提及「強教必先強師」，要培養高素質教師隊伍，要使教師成為最受社會尊重的職業之一，支持和吸引優秀人才熱心從教、精心從教、長期從教、終身從教，這樣學校才能持續改善，為全面培育下一代帶來裨益。我們建議：

 

• 隨著香港今天走向「由治及興」，特區政府可強化與學校相互信賴的夥伴關係，讓學校落實校本管理，邁向專業自主，以致學界和特區政府攜手，一同提升年輕一代的幸福感，提供多元發展的機會。
• 可持續發展的教育生態是強教強師的的基石，特區政府與學界積極商議，建立共識，妥善處理本地學童人口結構性減少帶來的縮班減員問題，讓教師能在專業、理想的學校環境中培育孩子成長。
• 善用教師隊伍的能量，成立交流平台，以開放態度和創新精神為主導，鼓勵校本或跨校協作，構想和實踐不同類型和規模的教育創新舉措。例如：因應政府推出「高才通」等人才計劃，可考慮讓部分中學提供寄宿，協助來港學童更快融入校園生活；個別學校能因應學生需要，提供合乎資歷架構的校本課程；善用中學在科學教育的經驗和設備，規劃中小學協作，致力做到小學科學科強師強教。

3. 加強創科教育和科技輔助學與教

科技發展一日千里，在2022年「學生能力國際評估計劃」表現優異的鄰近教育體系，均十分重視創科教育和科技輔助學習。新加坡開展 《The EdTech Master Plan 2030》，以 強化學生的數碼科技和應用人工智能能力。在科技輔助學習方面，設有 Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) 網上平台供師生使用。在2023年12月教師亦可使用新的軟體工具輔助批改課業，包括：Language Feedback Assistant for English (LangFA-EL) 及 Short Answer Feedback Assistant (ShortAnsFA)，釋放教師空間，以便更有效地指導學生學習。澳門推出《非高等教育發展十年規劃(2021-2030)》，重點為「加強創意與科技教育」，具體工作包括：檢視數理和資訊等課程、優化科普和科技競賽、發展智慧校園和加強創科師資培訓等。參考上述舉措，我們建議特區政府：

 

• 檢視和更新科技教育學習領域課程指引(小一至中六)(2017年)，配合近年快速的創科發展，讓中小學教育與時俱進。
• 善用科技與人工智能，推動適合香港課程和學生需要的適性學習(Adaptive Learning)策略，發展合適的電子學習工具，提供個性化的學習機會，促進學生自主學習，照顧學習差異。
• 適時及有策略地引入人工智能工具/系統支援學與教，並提供適切的教師培訓，提升學生學習效益，栽培人才，裝備未來。
• 建立教育範疇的人工智能工具/系統的認證機制，確保學校選用的人工智能工具/系統均能符合「人為監督」、「可靠、穩健及安全」、「數據私隱」、「有益的人工智能」、「公平」、「透明度與可解釋性」及「問責」等七項道德原則。

4. 聯通世界，拓寬全球視野

2023年施政報告提出：「發展香港成為國際專上教育樞紐，讓香港學生更獲益，更有國際視野，專上教育有更專業和優秀的擴展空間和生命力，進一步提升香港國際城市地位。」因應教育樞紐的發展方向，特區政府需在基礎教育範疇作出配合，我們建議：

 

• 香港學生必須保持卓越的英語能力，才能在國家發展中持續發揮「背靠祖國，聯通世界」的「超級聯繫人」角色。特區政府要保持香港一直以來擁有的英語優勢，例如設有英語電台和電視頻道、英語媒體和多語工作環境，以達致「聯通世界，匯聚人才」。
• 特區政府持續投入資源，維持提升學生英語能力的多項措施，保留現行母語授課學校和英語授課學校並存的安排。
• 探討讓本地公營學校錄取持簽證的外國學生，以及開設非本地課程的可行性，以便吸引外國學生，聯通世界。
• 善用國際資源和各國駐港領事館的網絡，為香港學生拓展各種國際交流、競賽、會議、境外學習和姊妹學校計劃的機會，培育學生的全球視野。

任何社會的進步與發展，都要藉教育培育人才。特區政府2024-25年度教育方面的開支預算為1,157 億元，佔本地生產總值約3.66%，或政府開支總額預算的14.9%，接近聯合國多個組織提出的《2030年仁川宣言及行動框架》（Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action）資源投放基準，即教育開支應佔國內生產總值的至少4%至6%及/或公共總支出的至少15%至20%。我們盼望特區政府在經濟有所改善時，持續投放充足資源，讓香港教育持續發展，以達致「培育青年成為愛國愛港、具備世界視野、有抱負和具正向思維的新一代」的願景。

 

 

香港中學校長會執行委員會

 

2024年9月19日