I am writing in response to the letter headlined 'Explain cuts to senior students' intensive English courses' by John Tan (Education Post, January 20).
Two programmes, the Intensive English Language Programme (IELP) for Secondary Six and Seven students who have studied in Chinese and the Intensive English Course (IEC) for Secondary Six students taught in English, have been conducted since 1993 and 1996 respectively.
Both programmes aim to offer additional assistance to eligible sixth-form students to help them to improve their language and related study skills for tertiary education and work.
After a comprehensive review of the two programmes, the relevant working group proposed replacing them with a school-based intensive programme for both groups of students in the 2001-2002 school year and developing new learning packages to cater for a range of student abilities.
The school-based method has been recommended as the needs of the students can be catered for more effectively. The school-based Intensive English Programme has thus been introduced as an interim measure in the 2000-2001 school year to continue to help eligible Secondary Six and Seven students to learn English.
Two packages of teaching materials catering for students learning in Chinese or English will be provided by the Education Department in stages to help schools conduct the programme.
Some parts of the two packages have already been put on the Education Department's homepage. Schools have full flexibility and autonomy in their selection and adaptation of the course materials for teaching. This also encourages self-access learning by students.