背景: 教統會在今年二月發表檢討中學教學語言及中一派位機制的諮詢文件,邀請各界回應。
目的: 本文主要是為回應上述的中學教學語言政策而寫。
論點: 文中指出主要有經濟、政治和教育三個因素影響著中學使用何種教學語文,在正常情況下,經濟為主導因素,故1949 年之前,學生多選讀中文中學,1950-97 年間則選讀英文中學,惟政府在回歸時的強制性母語教學政策,將政治因素放在首位,引至近年中學教學語文的亂局。
總結:要解救現今中學教學語文的困境,校本分流應是溫和的良方。
Background: The Education Commission is now reviewing the policy on medium of instruction and school places allocation in secondary schools of Hong Kong. They invite response from different sectors about the present policy.
Aim: This article is in response to the above invitation on the policy of medium of instruction.
Exposition: The economic, political and educational factors were found to be the main ones influencing the choice of medium of instruction in secondary schools. In particular, the economic factor was found to be the dominant one under normal situations. Before 1949, students chose to study in Chinese middle schools. They switched to choose Anglo-Chinese secondary schools during 1950-97. The scene has been seriously distorted recently due to the Government’s strong policy of imposing mother tongue education to a majority of secondary schools after 1997. Parents, students, and educators are unhappy about the Government's explicit intervention.
Conclusion: Language streaming within school will be a moderate but good way to resolve the dilemma of medium of instruction in secondary schools.[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]