War of words over $1.1b English grants
Bias toward Chinese medium schools and neglect of more-receptive primary students triggers anger
The $1.1 billion package unveiled this week to boost language teaching in secondary schools has been welcomed by those who stand to benefit but criticised by some for its perceived bias towards Chinese medium schools.
But while English medium schools complain they should be funded on equal terms, some of the strongest criticism has come from primary schools, who say their needs have been overlooked.
'The root of the problem is not in secondary schools, it is in primary schools,' said Shin Kei-lit, chairman of Sha Tin Primary School Heads' Association. 'If you look at the results of Primary Six assessments you can see the standard of English has been falling. We do not have enough resources.'
The proposals were included in the final report of the Education Commission's working group on medium of instruction for secondary schools and secondary school places allocation, published this week. The Education and Manpower Bureau will present them to the Legislative Council's panel on education on Monday.
In the proposals, Chinese medium schools will be eligible to apply for an annual grant of up to $500,000 for a fixed period of six years to boost their English teaching capabilities. English medium schools, on the other hand, will be able to apply for a one-off grant of $500,000. The plans also include $200 million to be set aside to support teaching in Putonghua.
Cheung Chi-hung, chairman of the Aided Primary School Heads' Association, said it would be more cost-effective to direct the funds to primary schools as younger children picked up languages more quickly. 'It is not a question of it being fair or unfair. I'm not envious that secondary schools are getting so much,' he said. 'But if we can do this well, then the needs of secondary schools would be reduced.'
Tsoi Kai-chun, chairman of Hong Kong Subsidised Primary Schools Council, agreed. 'We want to do more, but we just don't have the resources,' he said.
However, Cheung Man-kwong, president of the Professional Teachers' Union and Legco representative for the education sector, said it would not have been appropriate for the report to have directed funds to primary schools.
'At the moment, we are trying to sort out the secondary schools,' he said, adding that the funds were aimed at specific targets.
'The aim is to raise standards in Chinese medium schools as that is where the level is lower.'
English medium schools said they were disappointed. 'The government is willing to inject $1.1 billion in extra funds, and that is definitely a good thing,' said Laurence Lour Tsang-tsay, chairman of the English Medium Schools' Association. 'We don't mind a bit more going to Chinese medium schools, but the disparity is just too great.'
Mr Lour said a number of other schemes had been launched in recent years to help Chinese medium schools for which English medium schools had not been eligible, such as the allocation of an extra native-English-speaking teacher. He estimated these added up to over $1 million in extra funds each year.
'Over the six years, that is more than $6 million. When you add that to the $3 million [from the new proposals], it is close to $10 million in extra funding,' Mr Lour said. 'The ratio is not six-to-one, it is almost 20-to-one.'
Margaret Wong May-may, chairman of the Chinese Middle Schools Association and a member of the Education Commission's working group, said more resources should be given to Chinese medium schools.
'Positive discrimination is necessary - resources must be allocated in an appropriate way. Since students in Chinese medium schools have a poorer grasp of English, more resources will be required for them.'
She stressed the grants were subject to the approval of detailed plans of how the money would be used. 'Not every school will get the entire $3 million over six years. Some may get $1.5 million. Some may not even get $10,000,' she said.
