Tag Archives: China

     â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Lillian Kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
      
Question:
      
     According to the information from the Education Bureau (EDB), the number of students with special educational needs (SEN students) increased by around 30 per cent from the 2017-2018 school year to the 2021-2022 school year. On the other hand, the EDB launched a teacher professional development framework on integrated education (IE) in the 2007-2008 school year to offer Basic, Advanced and Thematic Courses to teachers. However, among the overall number of teachers in public sector ordinary primary and secondary schools in the 2021-2022 school year, only 47 per cent and 37 per cent of teachers have received special education training respectively. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
      
(1) of the numbers of teachers in public sector primary and secondary schools who have completed the Basic, Advanced and Thematic Courses respectively since the 2017-2018 school year; whether it will review the contents of such courses and other relevant professional development courses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
      
(2) whether it will review the learning content of SEN students to enable them to adapt to the demands of society nowadays and further establish a career ladder for them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
      
(3) whether it will review the development of IE and the coverage of relevant subsidies, so as to cope with the demand arising from the continuous increase in the number of SEN students and support the parents and teachers of such students in facing pressure; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
      
Reply:

     President,

     The Government has all along been attaching great importance to supporting students with special educational needs (SEN). In recent years, the expenditure on integrated education (IE) has increased by 147 per cent from about $1.5 billion in the 2017-18 financial year to about $3.7 billion in the 2022-23 financial year. 

     To assist public sector ordinary schools in supporting students with SEN, the Education Bureau (EDB) provided schools with additional resources, professional support and teacher training on top of regular subvention. The EDB also collaborates with non-governmental organisations to help schools implement the Whole School Approach to IE.

     Our reply to the Hon Lillian Kwok’s question is as follows:

(1) The EDB places great emphasis on professional training on special education for teachers, actively enhances teachers’ professional knowledge and capabilities, promotes the development of IE, and supports the diverse learning needs of students.

     Starting from the 2007/08 school year, the EDB has launched a teacher professional development framework on IE to provide serving teachers with structured training programmes pitched at basic, advanced and thematic levels, commonly known as BAT Courses. From the 2017/18 to 2021/22 school years, the numbers of teachers having completed the basic, advanced and thematic courses are 4 314, 1 405 and 2 135 respectively, totaling about 8 000. It is worth noting that the number of teachers having completed the BAT Courses per year has increased from 1 485 in the 2017/18 school year to 3 331 in the 2021/22 school year, representing an increase of more than one-fold. From this, it can be seen that teachers are currently more enthusiastic in enrolling in the relevant courses than before the epidemic. As we expect that the number of teachers attending the BAT Courses will continue to rise, the EDB will increase the number of training places to meet the demand.

     The EDB has been listening to the views of the sector to continually review and enhance the contents and arrangements of in-service teacher training programmes on IE, so as to cater for the needs of schools, teachers and students. Starting from the 2021/22 school year, we have organised a new online Basic Course to enable teachers to take the course more flexibly. We have also increased the number of training places for the BAT Courses so as to allow more teachers to receive the relevant training. In addition, the EDB has offered nine types of Thematic Courses, helping teachers focus on the understanding of different support strategies. We have also incorporated mental health into the Thematic Courses with a view to making the BAT Courses more comprehensive. Moreover, the EDB organises the training programme for new-to-role Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCO), and regularly conducts activities to facilitate professional exchanges.

     On pre-service teacher training, the EDB collaborated closely with teacher education universities (TEUs) and introduced the Guiding Framework for Teacher Education Programmes in 2023, incorporating the knowledge and skills in supporting students with SEN as core elements of the programmes. When designing the pre-service training programmes, TEUs will cover contents of the Basic Course under the BAT Courses, so that newly-joined teachers can possess qualification of the Basic Course.

(2) IE is based on the spirit of “equal opportunities and teaching students in accordance with their abilities”, allowing students with SEN to integrate into mainstream schools. Schools must fully utilise the schools’ and other resources and adopt various adaptation and support strategies to cater for the different learning needs of students and help students with different abilities transit to multiple pathways.
      
     Regarding the curriculum, under the principle of “one curriculum framework for all”, schools can follow the central curriculum and systematically adapt the learning contents, processes and requirements in accordance with students’ abilities, personal interests and learning traits to provide students with SEN with rich and diversified learning experiences. As for the senior secondary level, elective subjects in the curriculum are broad and diversified, including a series of applied learning courses to cater for students’ varied interests, needs and abilities, thereby helping unleash their potential and facilitating articulation to multiple pathways.

     In order to help students with SEN develop their potential according to their own strengths and interests and explore the suitable study or career pathways, the EDB launched the Strength-based Programme under the Project on Whole School Approach to Providing Tiered Support for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the 2021/22 school year to unleash the potential and strengthen the life planning of senior secondary students with ASD. The 2022 Policy Address has announced the expansion of the project to benefit about 100 secondary schools. Moreover, the EDB develops life planning education through various measures, such as the Business-School Partnership Programme under which diversified career exploration activities are organised for students. Many organisations in the service, retail and hotel industries have arranged activities for students with SEN. In addition, we also organise thematic seminars for teachers to equip them with the knowledge of life planning as well as the guidance skills and pathways for studies and career development of students with SEN.
      
(3) The EDB has been reviewing the development of IE and introduced a series of enhanced measures to further strengthen the effectiveness of IE in recent years. As regards the support for teachers, the EDB has, starting from the 2019/20 school year, extended the Learning Support Grant to all public sector ordinary schools and substantially increased the grant rates so that schools can flexibly deploy resources, employ additional staff or hire professional services to support teachers. On the manpower front, the EDB provides regular teaching posts of Special Educational Needs Support Teacher and upgrades the rank of SENCO in public sector ordinary schools with a comparatively large number of students with SEN, enabling SENCO to fulfil their leadership and coordination responsibilities more effectively. As regards the professional support, the EDB has further extended the Enhanced School-based Educational Psychology Service and created school-based speech therapist posts to implement the Enhanced School-based Speech Therapy Service. All of the above enhanced measures provide support to teachers and parents and facilitate schools in implementing IE more effectively.

     As regards the support for parents, the EDB launched the “SENSE” website to promote the understanding of the development of IE among parents, schools and the public. Through the “Smart Parent Net” website, practical information on supporting children with SEN is also provided for parents, so as to facilitate them to establish good parent-child relationship and nurture children’s physical and psychological development.

     In sum, the effective implementation of IE relies on the concerted efforts of all stakeholders. The EDB will continue to strengthen teachers’ professional training and support for schools, teachers and parents and work hand in hand with different stakeholders to build a caring and inclusive society.

     Thank you, President. read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on October 17 to noon today (October 18), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 187 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 9 235 samples of food imported from Japan (including 6 032 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 2 706 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 is 106.4 (down  0.2 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, will depart for Bangkok, Thailand, on October 20 (Friday) morning. He will meet with senior officials of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand and the Ministry of Tou… read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Benson Luk and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):

Question:

     The authorities made the first-ever extreme conditions announcement amidst a once-in-500-years event of torrential rain and flooding last month. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the mechanism for making an extreme conditions announcement;

(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of persons from organisations of local communities, such as the District Services and Community Care Teams, who participated in coping with the aforesaid extreme conditions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) of the number of civil servants (and among which, the number of disciplined services staff) mobilised by the Government to participate in coping with the disaster relief and recovery work of the aforesaid extreme conditions; whether the related operations involved additional public expenditure; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) whether it has formulated a mechanism to disseminate alerts about natural disasters to members of the public through the Emergency Alert System, so that they can stay vigilant and make timely responses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) whether it has formulated a more comprehensive response plan for making better preparations in the event of extreme conditions in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB), and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), our consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Benson Luk is as follows:

     The Government has developed a dynamic and proactive disaster management strategy to address actions required before, during and after a disaster as well as post-disaster review, and has also set out the duties of all relevant bureaux and departments (B/Ds) so that they could work in close partnership according to the contingency plan.

     Every year before the typhoon season, the Security Bureau (SB) organises an interdepartmental exercise to enhance the collaboration of B/Ds and other parties concerned in handling possible emergency situations if Hong Kong is struck by a typhoon. This year’s interdepartmental exercise was held on May 18, with the participation of representatives from around 40 B/Ds and other organisations concerned.

(1) In the event of super typhoons or other natural disasters of a substantial scale, a steering committee will be set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration with relevant Principal Officials as members to enhance co-ordination in the preparedness, response and recovery stages. The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) of the SB, together with relevant B/Ds, would assist the Steering Committee in assessing the impact the natural disasters may have on Hong Kong. In the event of extreme and widespread impact, such as large-scale power outage, extensive flooding, major landslides and serious obstruction of public transport services, the Steering Committee will consider making the extreme conditions announcement. Furthermore, following the passage of a typhoon, if there are factors that would seriously affect the working public to resume work effectively for a prolonged period, the Government may also make the extreme conditions announcement to advise the public to remain at safe places.

(2) The first extreme conditions announcement was made by the Government in early September. At the time, District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) in Tsuen Wan and Southern District were already established. Respectively, around 120 and 170 Care Team members and volunteers were mobilised to assist in temporary shelters and other follow-up actions.

     Care Teams in the remaining 16 districts were also established in mid to late September. They would be mobilised in times of inclement weather, such as typhoons, to provide appropriate services to those in need.

(3) The SB activated the EMSC to co-ordinate the actions taken by the substantial manpower from departments handling the emergency situations, including the Information Services Department, various works departments, the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), to deal with the various extreme situations arising from the torrential rain. The Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Home Affairs Department and District Offices, etc also mobilised all available manpower to handle the issues arising from the rainstorm, as well as to assist in the recovery of the city. Respective departments did not maintain detailed statistics on the manpower deployed. Meanwhile, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised close to 300 members to assist in the rescue and medical treatment work.

     The Government also activated the civil service mobilisation protocol to deploy civil servants of non-emergency services departments to provide support, with a view to restoring normal community operations and resuming citizens’ daily lives as early as possible. To cope with the widespread impact of the rainstorm and flooding, the Government activated the mobilisation protocol on three occasions after the extreme conditions ended, mobilising some 510 civil servants from 13 B/Ds (including 20 law enforcement officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption) to assist in clearing roads, homes and school premises, and in applying for emergency relief funds for persons facing financial hardship as a result of the disaster. Expenditure arising from the mobilisation protocol was absorbed by the Government’s general revenue.

(4) Launched in November 2020, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) aims to enable B/Ds to disseminate time-critical public announcements and messages (EAS Messages) to mobile service users during unforeseen emergency situations that may cause territory-wide/large-scale outage of critical infrastructure or extensively endanger lives and properties.

     There are two alert levels of EAS Messages, namely “Emergency Alert” for emergency situations that may extensively endanger lives and properties (e.g. extensive infrastructure damage after massive typhoons), and “Extreme Emergency Alert” for extremely urgent situations requiring immediate notification to citizens for protection of lives and properties (e.g. serious earthquake, tsunami, terrorist attack).

     According to the established mechanism, under truly justified emergency situations, B/Ds may, after obtaining the approval of the relevant Director of Bureau (and the Chief Secretary for Administration in the case of “Extreme Emergency Alert”), disseminate EAS Messages through the EAS terminals as far as practicable so as to facilitate members of the public to take immediate responsive actions.

(5) Government departments will make effective preparations, response, and recovery actions with respect to typhoons, rainstorms or other natural disasters. For example, prior to the rainy season and before the onset of a typhoon or rainstorm, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) will make pre-arrangements to inspect and clear the public drainage systems, including rivers, open nullahs, drainage gullies and roadside drainage systems, to prevent them from being clogged by debris such as mud, stones, leaves and rubbish. Departments under the DEVB and other relevant Government departments, including the tree management departments, works departments and the Buildings Department, will step up inspection, preparatory works and other preventive measures, including removing signboards with obvious danger, managing roadside trees with risk of falling, and ensuring that construction sites have implemented measures to effectively cope with the impacts of inclement weather.

     The DEVB will activate the Emergency Command System on a needs basis to assist works departments in co-ordinating and flexibly deploying emergency works resources, including machinery, tools and manpower to carry out emergency remedial work expeditiously. This may include the clearing of fallen trees on roads, and the handling of flooding and landslide incidents. After the extreme weather conditions have subsided, departments under the DEVB and other relevant Government departments will immediately commence dedicated inspections to identify slopes, trees and structures with potential risks, and carry out necessary emergency removal, clearance and repair works to ensure public safety.

     The HKO will also enhance information dissemination related to heavy rain and brief the media hourly with a video about the latest weather condition when Black Rainstorm Warning is in force to allow the general public to get hold of the latest situation and forecast.

     In addition, the Government will review the content of relevant contingency plan in the light of experience gained from the handling of natural disasters, so as to ensure that the plan can be further improved and kept abreast of development. The Government conducted such a review after Super Typhoon Mangkhut battered Hong Kong in 2018, focusing on enhancing the preparations for natural disasters, the efficiency in clearing fallen trees and other debris, as well as arrangements for resumption of work in the wake of super typhoons.

     The Government is currently conducting a review with the experience gained from the handling of typhoons, rainstorms and flooding in recent months, to improve our ability to handle natural disasters and enhance the safety factors in order to minimise the impact natural disasters may bring to the public. read more