The latest music syllabus for Form I-III was printed in 1983. It has been put into practice for more than fifteen years. Recently, there is an intention of review of the syllabus reflected from a series of activities carried out by the CDI in 1998 including the survey of the implementation of Form I-III music syllabus, the disclose of the report survey for all music teachers, music expertise special meeting in collecting information and feedback of the future trends of music education of Hong Kong. As there are hints of review of the syllabus, this paper aims at reviewing the music contents stated in the syllabus and discussing its implications for teachers, students, schools heads, policy makers and music teacher educators.

Looking at the effects of globalization, hi-tech development, the meeting of cultures, various traditions and practices in art, and reforms in education – this paper sketches out a distinctive role for art education in the Hong Kong context.

When educators and researchers are talking about, studying or applying IT in education in many parts of the world, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government launched a five-year IT education strategy. It aims at applying IT comprehensively across the curriculum that within ten years, all teachers and secondary 5 graduates will be able to work competently with IT tools. The strategy advocated a big step forward from the existing situation as most of the primary schools have not yet involved any elements of IT in their curriculum. This survey aimed to find out the teachers' readiness and attitude towards IT in art education in local primary schools.

The initial and ongoing research conducted by Educational Development and Research section of Hong Kong society for Education in Art, provides a better understanding of existing teaching materials within discipline of art for both primary and secondary school. This study serves a practical purpose of exploring art teacher's perceptions and options about the chief characteristics of significant teaching materials (primarily textbook) in the subject; and traces the interrelations between art teaching and textbook in Hong Kong, from major emphasis on curriculum implementation to studio activities. To fulfill the above aims, the project would collect research data to carry forward recommendations for art subject developments and attention to those pioneers in art textbook survey and writing.

Hong Kong provides a nine-year free education to every child. There are altogether 476,582 children go to school everyday. We believe that the children are learning what we planned for them. It is only until August 1999, the public is shocked by the results of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education. It is because the result shows that in sixteen schools, half of their candidates got zero mark in their examined subjects. In one school, over 80% of the candidates got zero mark for all subjects (Sing Tao Daily, 28-8-1999, p. A3). This scenario reviews that not only the students have learnt so little after a five-year schooling but also more serious is that it rings the alarm bell of our education system. So, before it is too late, an evaluation of the learned curriculum in the primary school sector is in need. Are the official learning objectives well received and understood by our primary school students? With reference to the official curriculum, the focus of this research is to examine the primary school graduates knowledge in Art after six years study in Art and Craft.

In the Education Reform in Hong Kong, music is a discipline of study within the Art Education Key Learning Area. The music curriculum for primary and secondary schools takes on new considerations both in content and in implementation. Up to the present, the reform has been in place for over two years being introduced in 2000. The success of the implementation is governed by the contributions of various stakeholders including the schools, public bodies rendering educational services and supports and the education policy makers of the Government of Hong Kong SAR. A brief review of the state-of-the-art in schools will be presented, followed by an overview of the development of the music curriculum guide by the Curriculum Development Councial Committee on Art Education Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; a document which is currently in its final stage of consultation. The merits of the guideline and the possible challenges to music teachers in schools will be discussed. The new insights in the provision of music in primary and secondary schools requires a refreshing of music teacher education programmes, including those offered at Hong Kong Institute of Education.