IN THE SCHEME OF the reforms of senior secondary and university education, faculties of education get a double whammy. Not only are they having to re-engineer themselves for longer degrees. They are also having to prepare teachers for the changes in schools.
The twin challenge is what is preoccupying John Lee Chi-kin, the dean of education at Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The advent of four-year degrees posed a particular challenge for faculties of education and the Hong Kong Institute of Education. BEd degrees already run over four years and under the new structure plans are that this would be extended to five.
Professor Lee is concerned that fewer students as they approach the end of their secondary schooling - a year earlier than now - will know whether they want to be teachers and be ready to commit five years of their lives preparing for that. 'It will affect student choices,' he said. 'Possibly, I can see the future moving towards double degrees or a combination structure which, to some extent, will dilute the uniqueness of education.'
It could also affect the stability of supply and demand of teachers, if more students sought generalist degrees rather than committing to teacher training.
'The current teacher supply is based on the number of BEd and PGDE students,' said Professor Lee, who has been dean since 2003.