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Nora Tong

It began with suicides and protest, and is ending with apples - 2006 has been a tumultuous 12 months for the education sector. Here is our selection of the highlights from the year:

January 9: A  comment by then Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun over two  unrelated teacher suicides within days of each other  sparks outcry in the education community, bringing discontent over reforms to crisis point.

January 11: Education secretary Arthur Li Kwok-cheung unveils HK$1.65 billion package  to help teachers, widely seen as a move to make amends for Mrs Law's comments on suicide.

January 22: Upwards of 7,500 take part in the largest teacher protest, calling for Mrs Law's resignation and a rethink on reforms. The following day, Professor Li unveils an independent commission  to study teacher stress and workload.

February 28: Professor Li reveals package of nine measures to relieve teacher stress, days before a mass meeting of the Professional Teachers' Union to discuss the pace of reforms.

March 20: Two government secondaries ordered to cease Form One admissions, leading to fears secondary school closures may follow.

March 29: English Schools Foundation  unveils first fee hike in five years: 8.9 per cent at primary, 5.1 per cent at secondary, despite cutting staff pay  last year.

April 1: Hong Kong Institute of Education launches campaign for university title within six years.

April 11: Examinations authority scales back school-based assessment for Chinese and English HKCEE in face of teacher resistance.

May 8: Mrs Law slams Council on Professional Conduct in Education for failing to uphold a single complaint for the fourth consecutive year.

June 8:  ESF's ruling body votes in favour of draft ordinance that will bring in sweeping management reforms and replace the foundation with a smaller board of governors.

June 28: EMB rules out developing Chinese curriculum for second-language learners.

July 6: McBeath report says Hong Kong leads the world in school self-evaluation, but gap between schools is still too large.

July 19: EMB publishes careers handbook that describes Form Five graduates with mid-range HKCEE scores as an 'embarrassed group' who would be 'deemed hopeless' by good schools. Gaffe later blamed on a mistranslation.

September 1: New primary school in Tin Shui Wai left vacant after sponsoring body decides it no longer wants it.

October 11: Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen announces kindergarten vouchers scheme in policy address - welcomed support for preschools but also  criticised for number of exclusions.

October 11: Catholic diocese begins request for judicial review of government's school management reform. Rejected in November as religious freedoms 'not a veto'.

October 16: Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen says goods and services tax could  help fund smaller classes, but  fails to win support from educators.

October 17: EMB pledges to roll out 'workplace Chinese' campaign within one year.

October 28: Renowned late economist Milton Friedman condemns the vouchers scheme.

November 10: Mrs Law moves to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, after eight years. She is replaced by Raymond Wong Chiu-hung.

November 24: HKIEd governing council delays decision on whether  to reappoint president Paul Morris, following a controversy-laden consultation  and rumours of official  pressure for  a merger with Chinese University.

December 7: Professor Li bows to pressure and submits voucher scheme to Finance Committee but ruffles feathers with thinly-veiled attack at critics in 'patronising' parable about an uncle's gift of apples to ungrateful children.



Suicides, mass protests and some very embarrassing translation