The need of safety-net programme for a mass education system

The need of safety-net programme for a mass education system

安全網計劃在集體教育中之必要性

• Wong, Edwin K. P. Hong Kong Institute of Education
• Ngai, Emily Sze Wan Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions, Hong Kong
• Lo, King Shuen Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions, Hong Kong

New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Association, (54), 60-78, 2006

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Teachers' Association

2006

• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QE Post-Secondary Education
• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QF Vocational & Technical Education

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Secondary Education

Background: The Project Yi Jin (PYJ), an alternative pathway for secondary school leavers and adults to further their education, has been receiving full support from the government, the Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions (FCE) in Hong Kong and the public. Graduates of PYJ have the equivalent academic status of their counterparts in the main stream education. It was first implemented in 2000/01 by the FCE and has been offered to more than 35,000 students by 2006/07. With the success of the programme as a safety-net for a mass education system, it should continue to function more vigorously as new reforms are being implemented in the Hong Kong education scene in the future. The Chief Executive in his 2004 Policy Address has set out the direction to develop a new secondary and university system, i.e., (3+3) for secondary + 4 (tertiary) [the old one is (3+2+2)+3], to be launched in 2010/11, that will effectively prepare the next generation to cope with the challenges of the 21st century and the demands of the rapidly developing knowledge-based society. The new system, together with substantial modified curricula including the newly developed applied learning courses (ApL), is supposed to be able to look after all secondary students.
Aims and focus of discussion: This paper aims to argue the necessity of launching a new version of Project Yi Jin (nPYJ) concurrently together with the new 3+3+4 academic system. In light of the contemporary global educational systems as compared to that of Hong Kong, it is postulated that the launching of nPYJ as a continuation of the successful PYJ is both legitimate and indispensable with regard to the carefully observed current global fashion of lifelong learning and continuing education in which diversity, equity, and flexibility are highly valued.
Method: A comprehensive comparative review was carried out on eleven selected oriental and occidental countries and regions, namely, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, China, Taiwan, Singapore and Macao, focusing on the worldwide trend of constant high school drop-out rate as well as the mentioned countries' respective senior secondary schooling articulation policy leading to higher education, in particular shedding light on the establishment of alternative pathways towards tertiary education alongside the conventional educational track.
Conclusion: With the literature backdrop and empirical support, it is shown that high school drop-outs are inevitable no matter how well-defined an education system may be. Thus this is where the "safety-net" contingency plan is found essential. A new version of Project Yi Jin (nPYJ), to be offered in parallel with the Hong Kong's new 3+3+4 secondary academic curricula, is indispensable to the new educational structure in the territory which fundamentally helps transform the conventionally somewhat segregated and elite educational system into a mass one. Regarding the curricular design, both PYJ and nPYJ will focus on generic skills and a wide range of electives will be offered as well to arouse students' interest of study.
背景: 毅進計劃 (PYJ) 是一個為在中學階段已輟學的青年及成年人而設的另類進修途徑，是項計劃一直獲得政府、香港持續教育專上聯盟及公眾的鼎力支持。在毅進計劃中成功的畢業生會獲得在正規教育中的同等學術資格。計劃始於2000/01 年度，直至2006/07 年度，聯盟已為超過35,000 名學生提供讀書機會。作為整體教育中的一個安全網計劃，毅進計劃的成功推行，應該在本港未來教育改革中更積極地佔一席位。特首在其2004 年的施政報告中定下發展一個會在2010/11 年落實的新中學及大學學制之方向 – (3+3) 的中學學制與及4年的大學學制 [舊的為(3+2+2) +3]。這個改革會有效地令下一代應付在廿一世紀及這個迅速發展、以知識為本的社會的挑戰與要求。這個新的制度，加上包含了新推行的應用學習科目(ApL)，理應能夠照顧到所有中學在學學生。
目標與討論重點: 本文章旨在討論在新的3+3+4 學制中推行新版本毅進計劃(nPYJ)之必然性。現時全球性的終身學習與持續教育的取向高度強調多元、平等和多變，透過將現時的香港教育制度與之相比，筆者發現新版本毅進計劃的推行是合理而且必需的。
研究方法: 筆者對十一個揀選的東方和西方國家或地區進行了一個全面性的研究和比較，其中包括澳洲、加拿大、德國、日本、南韓、英國、美國、中國、台灣、新加坡和澳門。筆者集中在全球性持續高企的高中輟學率，以及個別國家由高中進入高等教育的升學銜接政策，重點集中在主流升學途徑中如何建立其他達至入讀高等教育的路徑。
結論: 文獻與數據皆顯示出，無論在一個如何完善的教育制度下，中學輟學率都不能避免。而這就正是「安全網計劃」的必需性所在。配合香港新的3+3+4 中學學制所推出的新版本毅進計劃，對於整體的教育結構是必須的，計劃能幫助扭轉一個在傳統上分散及精英化的制度，達至一個全民教育的理想。而新舊毅進計劃的課程設計都會集中在學生的基本學術技巧及多元性的科目進修上，藉以提升學生對學習的興趣。
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2010-12-02