Session 21 EDB - page 141 Completion of professional programmes registered / exempted from registration under the Ordinance will not automatically lead to the attainment of professional qualifications. Students will need to, subject to the requirements set out in the relevant legislation or by the respective professional bodies, take examination / assessment for attaining the professional qualifications. The Non-local Courses Registry (the Registry) does not collate information on the award of professional qualifications.
The information of top-up Bachelor degree programmes Note 1 registered / exempted from registration under the Ordinance from the 2014/15 to 2016/17 academic years is set out below:
2014/15 2015/16 2016/17Note 2
Registered Programmes
(locally accredited)
Exempted Programmes
(locally accredited)
Registered Programmes
(locally accredited)
Exempted Programmes
(locally accredited)
Registered Programmes
(locally accredited)
Exempted Programmes
(locally accredited) Number of top-up
Bachelor degree programmes
93 (33)
104 (23)
94 (35)
104 (32)
95 (40)
95 (39) Institutions jointly running the top-up Bachelor degree programmes
Number of overseas institutions
28 25 28 25 23 28
Number of operators (for Registered programmes) / Number of local institutions of higher education (for Exempted programmes)
24 8 24 8 12 8
Number of students
enrolled 4 565 5 985 N.A. Note 3 N.A. Note 3 N.A. Note 3 N.A. Note 3
Note 1: For the purpose of this reply, programmes meeting the following criteria are regarded as top-up degree programmes – (a) Bachelor degree programmes (whether bearing “top-up degree” or not in the programme names) with duration not more than 18 months; and (b) sub-degree or equivalent qualification as an entry requirement
Note 2: Information as at 28 February 2017
Note 3: Statistics not yet available as the related information will only be provided by operators/ institutions six months after the end of an academic year
The Education Bureau (EDB) is very concerned about the quality of non-local courses and the way of running the courses by operators. Subsequent to a review conducted by the EDB on the existing monitoring and regulatory arrangements under the Ordinance, the Registry has already taken measures to enhance the existing regulatory arrangements over the operation of non-local courses –
(a) a new condition for registration has been imposed on courses registered since 31 October 2016 requiring operators concerned to maintain documents relating to the non-local courses (such as student’s application forms, offer letters, credit exemption documents and payment records) for a specified period for the Registrar’s examination when warranted;
Session 21 EDB - page 142 (b) the arrangement of referring minor contraventions to law enforcement agencies for follow-up action has
been tightened, and templates for periodic report have been prepared and put into use to comprehensively record and closely follow up cases of possible contraventions;
(c) arrangements have been made to publicise to students and parents, through various channels (such as website, seminar, circular, poster, and TV and radio Announcement of Public Interest), the regulatory regime of non-local courses in Hong Kong, the way in which consumers could protect themselves when considering enrolling in non-local courses, and that some non-local courses are locally accredited by the HKCAAVQ;
(d) the Registry has encouraged operators to apply for local accreditation under the QF to enhance the quality assurance of their non-local courses;
(e) the Registry has posted on the EDB’s website on 10 March 2017 the revised annual return form to require operators to provide more information on the non-local courses for Annual Returns with reporting period ending on or after 1 June 2017, which would facilitate the Registry to better monitor the operation of the courses; and
(f) the Registry is planning to conduct regular inspection starting from the third quarter of 2017. Preparatory work including training for staff and the drawing up of an inspection manual is underway.
- End -
Session 21 EDB - page 143 Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2017-18
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY
(Question Serial No. 2295)
Head: (156) Government Secretariat: Education Bureau Subhead (No. & title): (-) Not specified
Programme: (3) Primary Education, (4) Secondary Education Controlling Officer: Permanent Secretary for Education (Mrs Marion LAI) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Education
Question:
Many primary and secondary school teachers have now openly indicated that they have to work long hours.
This, coupled with the immense pressure arising from school work, can cause breakdown anytime if teachers are unable to pour out their emotions timely. Some psychiatrists have pointed out that teaching is a high-risk profession and teachers are among the top two categories of professionals that come for consultation. There are also cases in which teachers suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder and hence depression because of the failure to cope with immense pressure. In this connection, would the Government advise this Committee of the following:
1. Are there and will there be government policies to provide emotional support for primary and secondary school teachers?
2. Does the Government have any new measures to attract more talent to the teaching profession of primary and secondary schools?
3. How many graduate teacher posts in primary and secondary schools were created in each of the past two financial years?
4. In what ways have these newly created posts effectively enhanced the quality of teaching and learning?
Asked by: Hon HO Kwan-yiu, Junius (Member Question No. 25) Reply:
1. The Education Bureau attaches great importance to the well-being of teachers and has been providing them with appropriate support. To help teachers cope with stress at work or personal emotional problems, we have set up the Teachers’ Helpline to provide telephone counselling and support services.
Stress management courses and various wellness programmes have also been organised for teachers. In addition, the Hong Kong Teachers’ Centre has been organising different types of programmes, including physical and mental health courses and interest classes, to help teachers relieve stress.
2. Over the years, we have improved the provision of teaching staff resources on a need basis and implemented a number of measures to raise the status and professional standards of teachers in recognition of demand on quality education which may also help attract talent to the teaching profession.
Besides, a scholarship scheme has been set up since the 2010/11 school year to attract persons proficient in English to pursue relevant Bachelor degree programmes and/or teacher training programmes in local higher education institutions which will qualify them to become English Language teachers. Awardees of the Scholarship have to undertake to teach in primary or secondary day schools in Hong Kong for one year or three years upon graduation, depending on the type of programmes pursued. In parallel, the