This paper is about a study of the learning needs of serving primary school teachers in Hong Kong. The question involved is what are the training needs of these teachers. Literature review shows that there are different elements in teacher development and different stages of teachers' career are related to teachers training requirements. In our study, a questionnaire is given to the participants who have attended an in-service program. In the questionnaire, the respondents have to indicate their perceived competences of themselves and their perceived training needs. They have also to rank (heir psychological needs. The results of the study reveal that there is no big difference in the training needs between teachers of different teaching experience and teaching duties. Also, there is no significant correlation between teachers' perceived competencies and their perceived training needs. The conclusion is that the education reform since 2000 has exerted such great pressure on all teachers that they have a sense of insecurity. Therefore there is a feeling of inadequacy in primary school teachers and they feel an urgent need to upgrade themselves in whatever area in teaching. The positive outcome is that teachers are more ready to attend in-service training program. The negative outcome is that teachers have no long-term goals in their professional development. The true learning needs are to satisfy the government's top-down demand for educational reform in order to attain job security.

For the past 150 years, the government of Hong Kong has had no clear-cut policy on the implementation of moral and civic education in schools. So far, the Education and Manpower Bureau (previously the Education Department) has issued two Guidelines for schools' reference: the 1985 Guidelines and the 1996 Guidelines on Civic Education in Schools. The 1996 Guidelines seek to prepare young people to be responsible and participating citizens. To understand how civic education is implemented in Hong Kong schools, in 1999-2000, a working group of the Hong Kong Institute of Education carried out case studies of five secondary schools of different background. The study focused on the following areas: aims, curriculum planning and information, deployment of resources and teacher training, problems encountered and conductive factors. The conclusion is that school tradition, consensus of teaching staff, teachers' attitude and cooperation, teacher expertise, teaching resources and students' attitude are the main factors affecting the effectiveness of civic education.

For the past years since the post-war period, the government of Hong Kong has had no clear-cut policy on the implementation of moral and civic education in schools. Civic education was implemented in secondary schools through the so-called "permeated approached" in which elements of civic education were incorporated through school subjects such as Ethics or Economics and Public Affairs. Because of the social and political changes resulting from rapid economic growth and also because of the then impending return of Hong Kong's sovereignty to Mainland China in 1997, the Hong Kong Government Education Department issued three Guidelines for reference by schools: "General Guidelines on Moral Education in School" in 1981, "the Guidelines on Civic Education in School" in 1985 and "the Guidelines on Civic Education in Schools in 1996. The aim of the 1996 Guidelines was to facilitate schools' renewal of their commitment towards civic education. In answer to public expectations, it synthesized different views of civic education, for example that it should promote patriotism, and foster universal values such as democracy and human rights. The Guidelines also made some suggestions as to how the subject might be approached and taught, offering some substantial suggestions as to how civic education could be implemented in schools. However, schools have the autonomy as to whether or not to adapt the Guidelines' recommendations. A number of years have elapsed since the publication of the 1996 Guidelines. To understand how civic education is implemented in our schools, a working group of the Hong Kong Institute of Education carried out a study on this issue in the year 1999-2000. Data were collected through survey and structured interview. Questionnaires were sent to all secondary schools and followed by interviewing teachers and principals in some sample schools. The findings of our study showed that schools then generally had a more positive attitude towards implementing civic education