A proposal to introduce dual-mode teaching in Chinese medium of instruction (CMI) schools has been welcomed by educators, even though it may dash some schools' dream of switching back to English medium of instruction (EMI) soon.
The proposal comes two years after the mother-tongue teaching policy came into effect in 1998. Currently, 114 secondary schools are EMI schools while 223 are CMI.
The policy was supposed to be reviewed by the end of this school year, but the Education and Manpower Bureau announced that EMI schools could continue for three more years until the review, now postponed until 2003.
The bureau said it would not be possible for CMI schools to switch back to EMI before 2003- 04, because a method to gauge teachers' English skills could not be worked out before then.
Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower Raymond Young Lap-moon said: 'We are considering introducing dual- mode teaching, meaning some subjects can be taught in Cantonese and others in English.
The dual-mode system would allow some English vocabulary to be incorporated into certain subjects taught in Cantonese.
Mr Young said the bureau would commission academics to conduct a three-year study on the subject.