Concrete action should be taken to raise language standards in Hong Kong, according to a key education committee, with more focus on motivating students to learn.
The government's Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (Scolar), surveyed students, parents and teachers last year on their attitudes to language learning.
In its consultation document based on the survey findings, titled 'Action Plan to Raise Language Standards in Hong Kong', Scolar did not try to gauge whether the standard of English and other languages spoken in Hong Kong had fallen or not. Attempting to find out would serve no useful purpose, it said.
Instead, the committee said it was better to foster language training as a key plank in the SAR's education portfolio.
'The best course of action now is to take concrete, concerted and well-targeted measures to raise the language standards of the population to match the ever-increasing demand for students and workers with good language skills,' the report said.
Some findings in the Scolar survey indicated that the study and mastery of languages, including English, needed further development in Hong Kong.
Only 47 per cent of students indicated they had a 'strong' motivation to learn Chinese and English, and 44 per cent indicated a 'very strong' motivation. Only 25 per cent were strongly motivated to learn Putonghua. Asked about student motivation, parents and teachers generally felt the level of motivation was lower than the students themselves indicated.