The following is issued on behalf of the Curriculum Development Council:

     The Chairperson of the Curriculum Development Council, Professor Kenneth Young, welcomed the various school curriculum-related initiatives announced in the Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Address today (January 18) and was pleased with the Government's strong commitment to education.

     Professor Young said, "To continuously enhance the quality of education and maintain Hong Kong's competitive edge in an era of globalisation and speedy technological developments, we have embarked on a new stage of ongoing renewal of the school curriculum. The ongoing renewal sustains and deepens past achievements, and identifies key areas of future curriculum development to meet new challenges and equip our students for massive and rapid local, regional and global changes.

     "I am pleased to see the Government's emphasis on education and its investment of resources in supporting the ongoing curriculum renewal. In 2017, a one-off subsidy will be provided to secondary schools for promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in order to nurture a wide range of talents in science and technology and enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness.

     "I am also pleased to learn that the Government will strengthen the promotion of Chinese history and culture education. The Curriculum Development Council is reviewing the Chinese History and History curricula at the junior secondary level. The provision of a one-off grant in 2017 is useful for enhancing the learning and teaching of Chinese history and culture in primary and secondary schools, as well as for planning and implementing relevant school-based learning activities. Students will have the opportunity to learn about Chinese history and culture in a more holistic manner and in greater depth. The Ad Hoc Committee under the Curriculum Development Council will continue to collect views from different stakeholders to further enhance the curricula."

     Professor Young added, "I am confident that the Education Bureau will maintain close communication with different stakeholders in planning and implementing the details of the initiatives, and in this connection the Council will provide professional advice and suggestions on the continuous enhancement of the curriculum design with a view to raising the quality of education in Hong Kong and nurturing talents for our country."

Ends/Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:37

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