Educators warn against rushed introduction of 4-year degrees

Education officials have cautioned against the hasty introduction of four-year university degrees amid concerns that too speedy a move could spark chaos in secondary schools.

The Secretary for Education and Manpower, Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, last week reiterated that the government supported the universities' call for the introduction of a four-year degree system earlier than 2013 as proposed by the Education Commission.

But at a reporting session on the progress of the education reforms held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre yesterday, the education chief stressed the move would only go ahead if universities could ensure it would not disrupt on-going reforms in secondary schools.

Professor Li was responding to the school sector's opposition to the suggestion he made last Thursday to phase in the four-year plan earlier by expanding the universities' Early Admission Scheme (EAS) for outstanding Form Six students.

Schools said the suggestion would lead to cuts in staff and Form Seven classes as an increasing number of Form Six students would be taken by the universities.

'Universities which wish to speed up the four-year plan have to let us know their preferred admission criteria for the EAS quota and timetable for implementation. We will consider their proposals, but it doesn't mean that we must follow them,' Professor Li said.

The commission has proposed the 'three-three-four' model, comprising six years of schooling at junior and senior secondary levels and four years at university, be introduced after the secondary school curriculum and public exams are reformed.