Appendix 4
Appendix 4 Suggested lesson time allocation
for Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools
Primary (P1-P6)
Total Lesson Time1 over 6 Years
Approximately 4200 hours for whole-day schools (WD) and 4000 hours for bi-sessional schools (BS), calculation is based on the following:
• Lesson Time2 per week (WD) : 4.7 hours (per day) x 5 (days) = 23.5 hours
• Lesson Time per week (BS) : 4.1 hours (per day) x 5.5 (days) = 22.5 hours
• Number of teaching weeks per year = 30
Pupils in both whole-day and bi-sessional schools should be entitled to not less than 3400 hours of total lesson time. Bi-sessional schools will have less time for flexible use when compared with whole-day schools.
The school hours3 of whole-day schools, e.g. from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. are much longer than that of bi-sessional schools. The additional time is not meant for lengthening lesson time. Other than total lesson time, whole-day schools should spare more time within the school hours to plan a variety of activities and programmes conducive to whole-person development and life-wide learning.
Pupils should be provided with more opportunities for self-learning, collaborative learning, developing social skills and aesthetics, etc.
Lesson Time for Flexible Use
Approximately 10% - 19% (about 420 hours to 800 hours) for whole-day primary schools and 10% - 15% (about 400 hours to 600 hours) for bi-sessional schools Schools can use the time for activities that meet their individual needs and contexts, e.g. activities/learning programmes for remedial or enrichment/enhancement purposes, cross-curricular activities, fieldwork, promoting reading, etc.
Note: 1. Total lesson time: Time for class teaching for the whole year
2. Lesson time: Time allocated to various subjects or key learning areas in the school time- table
Appendix 4
Key Learning Areas Subjects Suggested Percentage of Lesson Time Allocation*
Chinese Language Education
Chinese Language
Putonghua 25% - 30%
English Language Education
English Language 17% - 22%
Mathematics Education Mathematics 12% - 15%
Science Education Technology Education Personal, Social and Humanities Education
General Studies 12% - 15%
Arts Education Art & Craft
Music 10% - 15%
Physical Education Physical Education 5% - 8%
* refers to whole-day primary schools
Note: 1. Total lesson time: Time for class teaching for the whole year
2. Lesson time: Time allocated to various subjects or key learning areas in the school time- table
Appendix 4 Junior Secondary (S1-S3)
To provide students with a broad and balanced curriculum and the essential learning experiences using the new curriculum framework, adjustments may be required in some schools progressively in the next few years.
Total Lesson Time over 3 Years About 2700 hours
Calculation of Lesson time is based on the following:
• Lesson time per week = 6 hours (per day) x 5 (days) = 30 hours
• No. of teaching weeks per year = 30 Lesson Time for Flexible Use
5% - 15% time for flexible use of the schools is about 135 hours to 405 hours over 3 years.
Schools can use the time for learning activities and programmes that meet their individual needs and contexts. These activities and programmes could be for remedial or enhancement purposes in the form of additional study within the key learning areas or from school-developed programmes, or activities such as activity weeks, China visits, outward bound experiences, leadership training camps, etc.
Key Learning Areas Suggested Percentage Lesson Time Allocation Chinese Language
Education 17% - 22%
English Language Education
17% - 20%
Mathematics Education 12% - 15%
Science Education 8% - 15%
The time allocation of 8% to 10% is intended for schools whose curriculum has a technology education orientation. This curriculum should connect students’ learning experiences in science and technology education.
Note: 1. Total lesson time: Time for class teaching for the whole year
2. Lesson time: Time allocated to various subjects or key learning areas in the school time- table
Appendix 4 Key Learning Areas Suggested Percentage Lesson Time Allocation Technology Education 8% - 15% (25% - 35%)*
* The time allocation of 25% to 35% is intended for schools chosen to have a curriculum with strong orientation in technology education.
These schools generally have the background that technology subjects would be better vehicles for their students to develop generic skills. In these schools, the lesson time, in terms of percentages, allocated to other key learning areas will be lower than schools across the territory.
Personal, Social and Humanities Education
10% - 20%
The time allocation of 10% to 15% is intended for schools whose curriculum has a technology education orientation, such that the essential contents for personal, social and humanities learning, including Chinese history and culture, can be accommodated.
Arts Education 8% - 10%
Physical Education 5% - 8%
Note: 1. Total lesson time: Time for class teaching for the whole year
2. Lesson time: Time allocated to various subjects or key learning areas in the school time- table
Appendix 4 Senior Secondary Level (S4-S5)
The recommended subject combinations for S4 & S5 as stated in the Education Commission’s Reform Proposals for the Education System in Hong Kong (Pg 102) are as follows:
Chinese + English + Mathematics + A + B + other subjects from the 8 key learning areas
‘A’ represents taking at least one subject in the key learning area of
‘Personal, Social and Humanities education’. If a student only chooses one subject from this learning area, the school should advise him/her to take ‘Integrated Humanities’.
‘B’ represents taking at least one subject in the key learning areas of
‘Science education’ or ‘Technology education’. If a student chooses altogether only one subject from these two learning areas, the school should advise him/her to take ‘Integrated Science and Technology’.
Over the 2 years (from S4 to S5), the total contact time is approximately 1600 hours. (Contact time is calculated based on the following:
Average contact time per week = 30 hours
Average number of weeks for S4 = 30 weeks & S5 = 24 weeks) At present, the 1600 hours are generally spent on the 7 – 10 examinable subjects the school offers to the students (which may include Physical Education and/or Arts Education) plus Assembly/Form period(s) and non-examinable Physical Education and/or Art lessons.
It is understandable that schools put a lot of emphasis on the examinable subjects. Flexibility is given to schools to allocate the lesson time according to the needs of the students and the characteristics of the school.
At the same time, schools must bear in mind the aims of education and to provide all the essential learning experiences: intellectual development, moral and civic education, community service, physical and aesthetic development and career-related experiences to their students. Schools can include in their curricula those activities or learning programmes, which may carry out beyond the classroom, in order to offer all-round and balanced learning opportunities to their students to help their whole person development.
Note: 1. Total lesson time: Time for class teaching for the whole year
2. Lesson time: Time allocated to various subjects or key learning areas in the school time- table