Follow-up on Views Gathered at the Stakeholder Engagement Session on “Promotion of Children's Joyful Learning and Healthy Development”

On Assessment and Assignment Policies

The Education Bureau (EDB) has provided guidelines for schools to review and refine their own assessment and assignment policies on a continued basis. The Primary Education Curriculum Guide (PECG) (Pilot Version) released in September 2022 set outs that –
- Schools should adopt diversified assessment modes to replace paper-and-pencil tests and examinations in the first term of Primary one and consider extending the measure to other levels if appropriate so as to reduce the frequency of dictation/test/examination (PECG Chapter 5 “Assessment for Enhancing Learning”). Some good school practices in using diversified assessment are provided in PECG Chapter 6 “Meaningful Assignments” and Chapter 9 “Interfaces at Various Key Stages” for schools’ reference and adoption.
- Schools are recommended to formulate an assignment policy which can strike a balance between quality and quantity of assignments (including assignment arrangement for long holiday) so that it can create space for children’s whole-person development such as participating in extra-curricular activities, developing personal interests, having enough rest, etc. Setting any rigid indicators on the amount of homework or homework time for schools on an across-the-board basis which cannot cater for the diverse learning needs of students is considered not favourable to their effective learning. Schools are recommended to make professional decisions in formulating and implementation school-based assignment policy with reference to their school contexts and student learning needs (PECG Chapter 6 “Meaningful Assignments”).
- The key messages and good school practices are delivered to school principals and teachers through various professional development programmes every year.

On Curriculum in Schools

EDB attaches great importance to the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum in schools conducive to students’ whole-person development. Diversified measures, including the provision of resources and multifarious life-wide learning activities, are adopted to fully support schools in broadening students’ horizons and interests as well as developing students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes to meet their needs and future challenges.
Diversified Applied Learning (ApL) courses are offered to students to cater for their diverse interests, abilities and aspirations. With the measures to optimise the four senior secondary core subjects from Secondary 4 since the 2021/22 school year, schools can provide students with more diversified options to cater for their different interests, abilities and aspirations through holistic planning of the lesson time released.

On Healthy Development of Students

EDB has all along been encouraging schools to adopt a Whole School Approach (WSA) to guidance and discipline for providing comprehensive and extensive support for students through cross-disciplinary collaboration among professionals.
The importance of students’ balanced development is emphasised in different chapters of PECG. Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide also sets out the purpose of kindergarten education in fostering in children an interest in learning and confidence and helping them develop a strong and healthy body.
The introduction of whole-day primary schooling with longer school day provides more flexibility for schools to arrange their time-tables with a fair proportion of time allocated to the core-curriculum, co-curricular activities, counselling services, recesses and lunch, etc. to nurture a caring and open learning culture in schools.
To enhance students’ resilience, cultivate their sense of self-discipline, responsibility, and foster their positive values and attitude, EDB has been providing diversified student guidance programmes/ activities for schools, featuring adventure-based, team building and problem-solving training. The “Mental Health@School” (https://mentalhealth.edb.gov.hk) and “Smart Parent Net” (https://www.parent.edu.hk/) websites provide a wide range of student mental health information and online resources to schools and parents.
The Government provides resources to Parent‐Teacher Association (PTA) of schools and Federations of PTAs of different districts to organise activities regarding home‐school co-operation and/ or parent education to assist parents in supporting their children for joyful learning and healthy development. The Committee on Home-School Co-operation also organises talks for parents on the issues. A one-stop parent education website “Smart Parent Net” (https://www.parent.edu.hk/) provides messages on supporting physical and psychological development of students. Since June 2020, the Government has also launched the Positive Parent Campaign to foster positive thinking among parents to help children grow happily.

On Support for Children with Special Needs

Enhanced Resources, Manpower and Professional Support Services
- Since the 2019/20 school year, EDB has implemented a series of enhanced measures on Integrated Education (IE) to provide public sector ordinary schools with a stable teaching force, flexible additional resources, and enhanced professional support to better cater for students with special educational needs (SEN). These measures include:
  - extending the Learning Support Grant (LSG) to all public sector ordinary schools;
  - extending the Grant for Supporting Non-Chinese Speaking Students with SEN (NCS-SEN Grant) to public sector ordinary schools admitting NCS students with SEN;
  - providing additional regular teaching posts titled special educational needs support teachers;
  - increasing the grant rate of the LSG for tier-3 support to four times the rate for tier-2 support;
  - further extending the Enhanced School-based Educational Psychology Service; and
  - creating school-based speech therapist posts in public sector ordinary schools, etc.
- The Student Support Team of a school, under the leadership of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, renders tiered support to students (including developing their social skills) based on their individual needs.
- Schools should submit a self-assessment report on the WSA Approach to IE to EDB annually, elucidating their policies, additional resources and support measures on IE in their school reports, and have them uploaded onto the schools’ websites for reference of parents and the public. To enhance home-school communication and co-operation, schools are also required to provide parents with a “Summary of Support for Student” every school year.
- Schools are advised to provide appropriate accommodations in learning and assessment for students with SEN, and establish an effective channel for all parents and students to access the information on special examination arrangements.
- EDB has enhanced the information transfer mechanism and the Early Identification and Intervention Programme for Primary One Students with Learning Difficulties to ensure that children with SEN who are admitted to P.1 in ordinary primary schools are provided with timely support and early intervention. To enhance the effectiveness of support and home-school communication, schools have to provide a copy of the “Summary of Transition Support for P1 Student” to parents.
Enhanced School Social Work Services
- Since the 2018/19 school year, EDB has implemented the policy of “one school social worker for each school” in public sector primary schools, as well as primary schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme to further enhance school social work and guidance services in primary schools.
- Since the 2019/20 school year, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) implemented the measure of “two school social workers for each school” in more than 460 secondary schools in Hong Kong, with supervisory and supporting manpower strengthened correspondingly so as to provide counselling and groups/programmes for the needy students and enhance youths’ stress resilience.
- For early identification of and to provide assistance to pre-primary children and their families with welfare needs, the Government has launched a three year pilot scheme from the 2018/19 school year to provide social work services for pre-primary institutions (SWSPPI) for pre-primary children and their families in subsidised/aided Pre-primary Institutions (PPIs) (including aided CCCs, kindergartens (KGs) and KG-cum-CCCs) across the territory. The Government has decided to regularise the SWSPPI by adopting a district-based service model to be implemented in phases from the 2023/24 school year starting from four SWD districts, including Eastern/Wan Chai, Sham Shui Po, Tai Po/North and Tuen Mun.

On Study Pathway and Life Planning

The Government has all along been committed to promoting Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET), and encourages young people to pursue education pathways and join industries that best suit their abilities and interests.
To provide more opportunities for young people to showcase their talents, EDB will, through the strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development, adopt a multi-pronged approach on various fronts to further promote VPET as a pathway parallel to conventional academic education, encourage the alignment of classroom education with industry needs and collaboration between businesses and education institutions, and provide diversified learning and employment opportunities, with a view to nurturing more high-quality talent with applied skills.
The Government will enhance the ApL courses in senior secondary education, with a view to facilitating the diversified development of students. To broaden students’ perspective of the career world, the Government has launched “Business-School Partnership Programme 2.0” in the 2022/23 school year.

On Support for School Teachers and School Social Workers

EDB has been organising certificate courses on student guidance and discipline for teachers on a regular basis. Serving teachers are also provided with structured training courses to enhance their professional capacity in catering for students with SEN. Seminars, workshops and experience-sharing sessions related to special education and IE are organised for teachers and other school personnel on a need basis.
Learning and teaching resources in support of students’ learning are available at EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/LT_resources). The existing curriculum framework of different subjects also provides flexibility to teachers to adjust/tailor in accordance with students’ needs.
EDB has set up the Teachers’ Helpline to provide telephone counselling and appropriate support services for teachers and principals to cope with their stress at work or personal emotional problems. Courses for teachers and principals on stress management and promotion of mental well-being are also organised under the Teachers’ Helpline initiative.
As for the support for school social workers, under the Policy of “One School Social Worker for Each School” in primary schools, a Consultation Service Grant has been provided for schools to purchase consultation, supervision and other support services to school social workers, such as casework consultation, urgent support for crisis, regular review and professional training. Starting from 2021/22 school year, SWD has strengthened the supporting manpower for school social work services in secondary schools so as to enable the school social workers to provide more intensive professional services for the needy students. SWD has also organised workshops on prevention and handling of students/youth suicide for social workers in various frontline service settings.

On Rehabilitation Services

The multi-disciplinary team of On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Service (OPRS) comprises occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, clinical/ educational psychologists, social workers and special child care workers.
Eligible children on the waiting list of OPRS may apply for training subsidy under the Training Subsidy Programme for Children on the Waiting List of Subvented Pre-school Rehabilitation Services for obtaining self-financed pre-school rehabilitation services provided by recognised service providers as early as possible.

On Support Measures under COVID-19 Pandemic

SWD has completed a feasibility study in April 2020 on the provision of after school care service for children aged three to six in suitable welfare facilities, and has decided to re-engineer Mutual Help Child Care Centres (MHCCC) in phases to provide after school care programme for pre-primary children, which aims at providing care and support services for pre-primary children whose parents or carers are either working long, unstable and/or unconventional working hours, having financial and/or social hardship in securing care by their own means before/after school hours. Fee reduction/waiving is available for needy families with financial hardship.
As at February 2023, 13 MHCCCs have been re-engineered.
After School Care Programmme (ASCP) for the primary school students aims at providing care services for children whose parents are unable to give proper care to them during after-school hours because of work, job search or other reasons. To further support parents working longer/irregular hours and/or during weekends, the services have been enhanced since December 2014 with extension to weekday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays under the Enhanced ASCP. SWD provides subsidies for full fee-waiving, half fee-reduction or one-third fee-reduction for children of low income families to attend ASCP under the Fee-waiving Subsidy Scheme. As at end of 2022, there are 199 ASCP centres and 40 Enhanced ASCP centres providing care services for children of needy families.