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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, at a media session after receiving a report from the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education today (July 6):
Secretary for Education: Now I would like to say a few words in English. Today, I am very pleased to receive the report of the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education from the Chairman, Dr Roy Chung.
Vocational education prepares people for future employment by equipping them with professional knowledge, practical skills and appropriate attitude. Meanwhile, vocational education plays an indispensable role in nurturing a new generation of talent for the industries, also facilitating the long-term development of Hong Kong's economy. Nevertheless, there is some social bias among some towards traditional academic pursuit and therefore the Government set up the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education in June 2014 with a view to promoting vocational education as an attractive study pathway and changing the traditional perception towards vocational education of the public.
At least over 400,000 youngsters and other citizens in Hong Kong are engaged in vocational education and training at different levels - yet without counting some degree-level programmes with strong vocational and professional elements, as well as some in-service training for practitioners. In other words, if those are counted in as well, the number would be even bigger.
The Government has also done quite a lot in developing vocational education and training, such as offering applied learning subjects in secondary schools and assisting secondary schools in carrying out career and life planning education, subsidising tens of thousands of training places in the Vocational Training Council, allocating funding in the Vocational Training Council in implementing the Pilot Training and Support Scheme starting from the 2014/15 academic year. Also, we will be providing industrial attachment opportunities, not the least the Qualification Framework efforts and the HK$1 billion fund for that purpose.
In November last year, colleagues in the Education Bureau and the Vocational Training Council made a very strategic study trip to Germany and Switzerland to understand the local vocational education systems. Both countries are renowned for their vocational education and the employers play a pivotal role in it.
The Task Force proposes a three-pronged promotion strategy in its report with recommendations targeting different stakeholders, such as suggesting the industries to actively participate, in other words to be engaged, in vocational education, promotion of vocational education through career and life planning education in secondary schools, and enhancing the promotion of the Qualifications Framework efforts, etc. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr Chung again for his guidance and leadership as well as the Task Force members for their invaluable contribution.
Dr Chung will soon brief you on the Task Force's recommendations in the media briefing. The Government will duly consider the recommendations in the Task Force report and respond in due course. We hope that after the public perception towards vocational education would be changing, more youngsters would choose to pursue vocational education and contribute to society in the future. Thank you very much.
Reporter: We need to ask if the Government is willing to decrease class sizes because of the decline in the number of students (Secondary One). Will you (inaudible) something towards that?
Secretary for Education: The matter of fact is that we need to launch the temporary measures, including the 2-1-1 arrangement. Additionally, I would like to remind ourselves there are additional features in terms of the size of the class. We recognise schools might be affected. That is why we made two additional special measures. Measure One is, if you are able to have 51 students, you can start three classes. If you are able to have 26 students, you are allowed to launch two classes. So the figure would tell itself in terms of the size of the class.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, July 6, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:25
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