EDUCATION workers will be considering ways to improve the teaching of Chinese and English in the light of the proposal for a $300-million language fund.
Mr Patten said he saw the need for better Chinese, including Putonghua, because of the growing links with the mainland, and for better English to meet the needs of the international business community.
The money would be used to upgrade the skills of language teachers who have been criticised for being below standard.
In suggesting the creation of the fund, he surprised educationalists because a similar idea proposed by the Government was dropped about 10 years ago.
The first stage of the new plan would be to upgrade the skills of language teachers.
The Curriculum Development Council is to hold a meeting on Monday to review the language syllabus and find ways of improving the existing teaching system.