A greater emphasis on liberal studies may have led to a drop in the performance of local secondary pupils in science, with an international survey finding students are doing worse in the field than five years ago.
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study tested 424,000 students worldwide last year on their mathematics and science performance.
Hong Kong secondary pupils ranked ninth in science, down five places from the fourth place they achieved in the same study in 2003.
Hong Kong's primary pupils ranked first in mathematics performance worldwide and third in science. Secondary pupils ranked fourth in mathematics last year, according to survey results announced two days ago. A total of 3,791 Primary Four pupils and 3,470 Secondary Two pupils in Hong Kong took part in the study.
Educational reforms, including the introduction of liberal studies in secondary schools, could have 'drained attention' away from science education, said the director of the local International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement centre, Frederick Leung Koon-shing.
University of Hong Kong associate professor of education Alice Wong Siu-ling said many experienced science teachers were being trained to become liberal-studies teachers next year.
