Primary school children in Hong Kong face a new hurdle - a test of their ability to communicate in English. Educators predict the test, while optional, will be seen as a must by most parents.
The first pupils will sit the test in December, the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority announced yesterday.
The London Tests of English for Children, developed by British examination-setter Edexcel International, is designed for children who are learning English as a second language.
It was originally offered at four levels to test the listening, reading and writing skills of children aged seven to 12.
The authority, however, will introduce only two of the tests, the Quickmatch and Breakthrough levels, for children studying in Primary Four to Primary Six.
'We are bringing in the test as a response to parents' demand for alternative tests to assess their children's English,' said Margaret Lo Wai-ki, head of the examination authority's overseas and professional examinations division. 'Most of the existing exams only assess their language knowledge.'