Author Archives: hksar gov

     Following is a question by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (December 5):
Question:

     The Liberal Studies (LS) subject, which has been offered since 2009 under the senior secondary curriculum, is one of the four core subjects (compulsory subjects) in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE). There have all along been controversies on issues of the LS subject such as curriculum, mode of assessment and its retention or otherwise. Moreover, it is learnt that in the admission of students, universities do not give priority consideration or extra credits to the results of the LS subject, and that a number of universities have announced that from the next academic year onwards, they will no longer set the “3322 results” (which include attaining level 2 or above in the LS subject in HKDSEE) as the minimum entrance requirements. It has been reported that the Bachelor’s degree and Diploma in Education programmes which tie in with the LS subject will cease operation in the next academic year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will consider changing the LS subject from a compulsory subject to an elective one, so that students may freely choose whether or not to take the subject; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will change the grading of this subject from the current seven-level scale to a two-level scale of “pass” and “fail” so as to reduce students’ pressure in preparing for the examination; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will reform the curriculum of the LS subject, including the incorporation of more modules on classic literature and theories of natural sciences, so as to nurture students’ critical thinking skills; and

(3) whether it will reform the mode of assessment for the LS subject so as to avoid unduly focusing on assessing students’ language proficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:

President,

     Liberal Studies, which is designed as a cross-curricular subject, aims to broaden students’ knowledge base and horizons through the study of a wide range of issues, so as to enable them to make connections with and integrate the knowledge across different disciplines. Liberal Studies also helps students develop positive values and attitudes towards life, so that students can become informed and responsible citizens of society, our country and the world. Since 2009, Liberal Studies has become one of the four core subjects of the Senior Secondary Curriculum.

     The general entrance requirements of bachelor degree programmes of tertiary institutions are set at the level of 3322 in the four core subjects, including Level 3 in Chinese Language and English Language and Level 2 in Mathematics and Liberal Studies, plus Level 2 or 3 in one or two specified/unspecified elective subject(s) (depending on the requirements of individual academic departments or programmes). The general entrance requirements have been endorsed by the sector before adoption. The relevant requirements have not been changed up till now. The special admission arrangements mentioned by various universities recently are in line with the flexibilities provided under the merit-based admission principle to cater for individual exceptional cases, and should not be seen as an alteration of the general entrance requirements. Besides, some programmes offered by local universities, such as those related to social sciences, do give extra weighting to Liberal Studies.  

     As for teacher education, there is sufficient provision of Liberal Studies teachers in the school sector at present and this will continue be the case in the foreseeable future. The Education Bureau (EDB) has been keeping in view the changes in the number of training places of relevant teacher education programmes. After taking into account various factors such as the school-aged population trend as well as the supply and demand of teachers, the EDB will propose, to the Universities Grants Committee, different programmes to universities offering teacher education to ensure that the manpower training for various subjects (including Liberal Studies) will closely align with the learning needs of students and the development needs of schools.

     Regarding the question of the Hon Mrs Regina Ip, our consolidated reply is as follows:

     At the time of planning the senior secondary curriculum under the New Academic Structure, Liberal Studies had been adopted as a core subject, as it can play a unique role in the new senior secondary curriculum. Liberal Studies enables students to make connections with and integrate the concepts and knowledge across different disciplines; and see things in multiple perspectives. It also enables students to investigate issues that cannot be covered by single discipline subjects, such as personal development and Chinese culture, so as to address the bias towards discipline subjects in the previous senior secondary curriculum, and to provide students with cross-curricular learning opportunities. Liberal Studies becoming a core subject under the Senior Secondary Academic Structure was the result of extensive discussion, and gained the public support before its implementation.

     To enhance students’ understanding of themselves, their society, their nation, the natural and human world from multiple perspectives, the Liberal Studies curriculum comprises three Areas of Study, namely “Self and Personal Development”, “Society and Culture” and “Science, Technology and the Environment”. The topics selected for each module under these three Areas of Study are important issues to the students and society and suitable for students at senior secondary level to study. For instance, the topic on the “impact of globalisation” has great significance for students to understand themselves, their society and the world as well as make connections across different fields of knowledge and broaden their horizons.

     Regarding public assessment, the public examination for Liberal Studies was designed in accordance with the Curriculum and Assessment Guide. The whole examination consists of two papers: the data-response questions in Paper 1 mainly assess candidates’ abilities such as identification, application and analysis of given data; the extended-response questions in Paper 2 assess various higher-order thinking skills through source materials which may arouse discussion. Candidates are required to substantiate arguments from multiple perspectives and draw logical inferences when exploring the questions raised, in order to demonstrate various higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, creativity, comparison, synthesis, evaluation, problem solving and communicating in a systematic manner. Same as the assessment requirements of the public examinations for other non-language subjects, those for Liberal Studies mainly concern application of the relevant knowledge, concepts and thinking skills acquired from the subject, instead of language and writing skills. From the perspective of assessment, Liberal Studies is not different from other core subjects, therefore the 5-level reporting of results has been adopted.

     Implemented in 2009, the Senior Secondary Academic Structure has been in operation for nearly ten years. To keep pace with rapid social and global changes, the whole school curriculum, including but not limited to Liberal Studies, has to be renewed timely in order to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary for them to take on future opportunities and challenges, and achieve the goal of promoting whole-person development and life-long learning.

     In this connection, the EDB set up the Task Force on Review of School Curriculum (Task Force), which comprises experienced educators, academics, professionals and representatives of the business sector. Under the principle of “Led by Professionals”, the Task Force is responsible for holistically reviewing the primary and secondary curricula, so that the school curricula at the primary and secondary levels can be rigorous and forward-looking in enhancing students’ capacity to learn and fostering the values and qualities desired for students of the 21st century to meet future challenges as well as the needs of society. The Task Force hopes to, through refining the curriculum design, create space and opportunities for students’ whole-person development, so as to better cater for students’ diverse abilities, interests, needs and aspirations.

     The Task Force is conducting a review on the school curriculum framework and assessment as a whole, without any pre-determined position on individual or overall curriculum arrangements. In the course of the review, it will approach different stakeholders where necessary and collect views extensively in an open-minded manner. The Task Force is expected to make directional recommendations to the Government by end-2019.

     Upon receiving the report of the Task Force, the EDB will study the recommendations in detail. By then, if there are any recommendations from the Task Force on the curricula or assessment of individual subjects, the EDB will conduct detailed discussions and take follow-up actions with the sector in accordance with the established mechanism through the existing advisory structure/bodies such as the Curriculum Development Council and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.   
 
     Thank you, President. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Wu Chi-wai and a reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (December 5):
 
Question:
 
     The United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, created by the United States (US) Congress, has alleged in a report published last month that the Central Authorities have been running counter to the promise of implementing “one country, two systems” and “a high degree of autonomy” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). The Commission has therefore recommended that the Congress direct the Department of Commerce and other relevant government agencies to prepare a report to examine and assess the adequacy of the US export control policy for dual-use technology as it relates to the treatment of Hong Kong and China as two customs areas. Moreover, it has been reported that the Mainland authorities are building a nationwide video surveillance network called “Skynet”, and some countries in Europe and America have recently ceased issuing licences for exporting components critical for the network to Hong Kong for re-export to the Mainland. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has gained an understanding if the coverage of the aforesaid dual-use technology includes the items listed in the two lists as set out in Schedule 1 to the Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations, components related to Skynet, as well as the software and data necessary for the development of a smart city;
 
(2) whether it has assessed, in the event that the US authorities tighten the control on export to Hong Kong, cease to treat Hong Kong as a separate customs area or repeal the Hong Kong Policy Act, the impacts of these three changes of different levels on Hong Kong in those aspects such as its development of innovation and technology as well as into a smart city, and the immigration treatments for Hong Kong residents when entering the US for visits or studies; of the Government’s measures to mitigate such impacts; and
 
(3) whether it will request the Central People’s Government to once again instruct the offices set up in Hong Kong by the Central Authorities to strictly comply with the stipulation that they may not interfere in the affairs which SAR administers on its own as provided under Article 22 of the Basic Law, with a view to making the US authorities believe that the Central Authorities have all along honoured its promise of implementing “one country, two systems” and “a high degree of autonomy” in SAR, and thus continue to treat Hong Kong as a separate customs area, such that Hong Kong can leverage its distinctive edge in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area which has a condition of “one country, two systems and three customs areas”?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Thank you for the question raised by the Hon Wu Chi-wai. Since the return to the Motherland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has been exercising “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law. The “one country, two systems” principle has been fully and successfully implemented.
 
     Article 116 of the Basic Law provides that the HKSAR is a separate customs territory. Pursuant to Article 151 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong may, using the name “Hong Kong, China”, participate in international organisations, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, as a separate member and maintain economic and trade relationships with the other 163 members of the WTO. Hong Kong’s unique status and advantages under the “one country, two systems”, a right conferred to the SAR by the Motherland through the Basic Law, have all along been widely recognised and respected by the international community, allowing Hong Kong to establish mutually beneficial collaboration relationship with economies around the world at bilateral and multilateral international trade and economic levels. Following the forging of a free trade agreement (FTA) and an investment agreement between Hong Kong and the 10 Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations last November, the recent conclusion of our negotiations on an FTA and an investment agreement with Australia on November 15 this year is another testimony of the successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.
 
     Through substantive bilateral relations, officials’ mutual visits and participation in international conferences, as well as the efforts of the overseas Economic and Trade Offices, the HKSAR Government has been explaining to countries around the world the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” since our return to the Motherland, promoting Hong Kong’s unique status under the Basic Law and “one country, two systems” as well as our own various advantages, and exploring room for mutual collaboration. For example, I led a delegation to visit Washington DC, the United States (US) this September, during which I met with the US government officials, members of the Congress, think tanks as well as the business community, and explained clearly Hong Kong’s unique status under the Basic Law, as well as Hong Kong’s important role in helping our global trading partners in developing markets.
 
     The United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) mentioned in the Hon Wu’s question is appointed by the bipartisan leaders of the US Congress and does not comprise members of the US Congress. As its name suggests, the aim of the USCC is to monitor and investigate on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the US and China. The USCC has been submitting annual reports to the US Congress since 2000. As I understand, the USCC report is not a report by the Congress or the US Administration. Its contents do not reflect the position of the US Congress or the US Administration but the views of the USCC members who are not members of the Congress.
 
     In addition to comments on US-China relations, the USCC report published last month also mentions the situation in Hong Kong. In respect of the paragraph on trade control, the Commission points out that Hong Kong is an important partner of the US in ensuring robust protection against unauthorised shipments of controlled US items to the Mainland. Indeed, Hong Kong has always been enforcing import and export trade controls according to the laws of Hong Kong, and such efforts have been recognised and respected by our trading partners. Hong Kong will continue to maintain our robust trade control system in accordance with the law and continue to work closely with the US and other trading partners.
 
     Hong Kong’s trade and economic relationship with the US is mutually beneficial. Since Hong Kong’s return to the Motherland, the US has continued to maintain and expand economic and trade ties with Hong Kong based on our unique status. 
 
     Counting on the basis of individual economies, in 2017 the US was Hong Kong’s second largest merchandise trading partner in the world, while Hong Kong was the US’ ninth largest export market. According to US statistics, the US has been enjoying the highest trade surplus with Hong Kong among its global trading partners, valued at US$34.5 billion in 2017. I firmly believe that it is in the US and Hong Kong’s mutual interest to maintain and promote our bilateral relations. The HKSAR Government will continue to enhance Hong Kong’s economic and trade ties with the US.
 
     President, I must stress that Hong Kong implements “one country, two systems” in accordance with the Basic Law in order to safeguard the rights of our country and the SAR. It is also the important cornerstone of the successful economic and trade development in the SAR since our return to the Motherland. The HKSAR Government will, as always, respect, abide by and uphold “one country, two systems”.
 
     Thank you President. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Wan and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, in the Legislative Council today (December 5):

Question:
 
     According to a funding agreement signed between the Government and the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA), the Government allocates to HKFA a maximum of $25 million annually from April 2015 to March 2020 for the implementation of a Five-Year Strategic Plan.  Recently, some news reports have alleged that HKFA failed to follow the established procedure when it recruited the Head Coach of the Hong Kong Football Representative Team.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
 
(1) (i) the details of the procedure made by HKFA for the recruitment of the Head Coach and (ii) the measures taken by HKFA to ensure that the conduct of the recruitment exercise complied with the procedure and the principles of openness, impartiality and prudent use of public funds;
 
(2) in respect of the funding allocated by the Government to HKFA in each year since April 2015, the respective (i) amounts and (ii) percentages used for meeting the various expenses; whether the funding agreement has specified a maximum percentage for each type of such expenses in the total amount of the allocation;
 
(3) the total amount paid for the remuneration and fringe benefits for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HKFA in each year since April 2015; as the former CEO has left upon contract expiry since September this year, the recruitment procedure as well as the remuneration and fringe benefits for the successor; and
 
(4) the respective current remuneration and fringe benefits for the following HKFA posts: (i) Referees Manager, (ii) Head Coach, (iii) Technical Director, (iv) Head of Football Development, (v) General Secretary, (vi) Head of Competitions, and (vii) Head of Corporate Governance?

 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) has, upon my request, given relevant information on its Five-Year Strategic Plan (the Plan).  My reply to the question is as follows:
 
(1) Since April 2015, the Government has been funding the HKFA to implement its Plan.  The funding provided, with a ceiling of $25 million per year, is mainly used for subventing the creation of various posts to provide the administrative and technical capabilities required by the HKFA to implement the Plan.  These subvented posts include the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Referees Manager, Head Coach, Technical Director, Head of Football Development, Head of Corporate Governance, Human Resources Manager, Academy Head Coach, Coach Education Manager, Grassroots Football Manager and Women’s Football Manager. 
 
     With the agreement of the Football Task Force (FTF), the HKFA combined the posts of Head Coach and Technical Director in May 2014.  Before commencing the recent recruitment exercise for the vacant post of Head Coach, the HKFA proposed to split the combined Head Coach cum Technical Director post back into two posts.  The HKFA also made a proposal in its 2018-19 annual plan on the remuneration subvention ceilings of these two posts.  Having considered the views of the FTF, the Government endorsed the HKFA’s proposal on May 23, 2018.
           
     The HKFA has formulated a set of Staff Recruitment Policy and Procedures.  The open recruitment exercise for the vacant Head Coach post was conducted in accordance with the guidelines in this document.  The HKFA placed the advertisement for open recruitment on recruitment websites around the world as well as its own website on May 24, 2018, inviting interested persons to apply on or before June 23, 2018.  By the end of the application period, the HKFA received a total of 106 applications.  The CEO shortlisted the applicants in accordance with the relevant guidelines and selected the nine most suitable applicants for interview.  The HKFA’s Selection Panel conducted interviews with the shortlisted applicants through video conferencing between July 17 and 19, 2018, and then made its recommendation on the appointment to the HKFA Board (the Board) on  July 26, 2018.  The Board deliberated on the Selection Panel’s recommendation at its meeting on July 26 and August 2, 2018, and at the second meeting on August 2, the Board accepted the Panel’s recommendation and confirmed the candidate for the Head Coach post.
 
     We understand that during the Board’s deliberation of the Selection Panel’s recommendation, one of the Directors questioned the CEO’s deviation from the relevant policy and procedures in certain parts of the recruitment exercise and his lateness in informing the Board.  While the Board recognised that there was room for improvement in the handling of the recruitment exercise, the majority of the Directors considered that the impartiality of this recruitment exercise had not been compromised and the Board had therefore decided to accept the recommendation of the Selection Panel.  The Board however agreed that the current policy and procedures and their implementation should be reviewed and improved.    

(2) The funding allocated by the Government to the HKFA in the past three years for implementing the Plan is tabulated below:
 

Type of expenses	Funding amount ($ million) (percentage in total allocation)
	2015-16		2016-17		2017-18
Subvented posts	17.3	(81.2%)	18.2	(80.2%)	18.5	(86.9%)
Professional services	1.7	(8%)	0.8	(3.5%)	0.8	(3.7%)
Market research / promotion	0.8	(3.8%)	1	(4.4%)	0.7	(3.3%)
Accident and medical insurance	0.4	(1.9%)	0.9	(4%)	0.6	(2.8%)
Others	1.1	(5.1%)	1.8	(7.9%)	0.7	(3.3%)
Total	21.3		22.7		21.3

 
     The funding agreement between the Government and the HKFA stipulates that the HKFA should submit its annual funding application to the FTF for endorsement to ensure effective funding allocation.  The Government has not specified ceilings on the percentages in total allocation for the various types of expenses.
 
(3) and (4) For the implementation of the Plan, the Government has subvented in total 27 posts of the HKFA in 2018-19. Distribution of the relevant subvention is as follows:
 

Annual remuneration subvention ($)	Number of posts
2.5 million or above	1
1.5 – 2.5 million	1
0.5 – 1.5 million	11
under 0.5 million	14

 
     On  October 2, 2018, the Board approved the appointment of its Head of Football Development as the acting CEO for a period of six months.  We understand that the HKFA is currently preparing for the CEO recruitment exercise. read more

     Following is a question by the Professor Hon Joseph Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (December 5):   Question:     &nb… read more

     Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (December 5). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure
     
     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp outside Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Vehicles from eastbound Queen’s Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen’s Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen’s Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen’s Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure
     
     The following roads will be closed from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:
     
– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen’s Road East.
     
     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen’s Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Vehicles from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic on southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition
     
     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site. read more