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OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 12 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 3497 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 12 December 2012 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. 3498 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 3499 THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG 3500 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN MEMBER ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE TSANG TAK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION AND SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 3501 THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE RIMSKY YUEN KWOK-KEUNG, S.C., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE LAI TUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HONOURABLE EDDIE NG HAK-KIM, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION DR THE HONOURABLE KO WING-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS PERCY MA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 3502 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: No. 36 ─ Fire Services Department Welfare Fund Report on the Administration of the Fund and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2012 No. 37 ─ Hong Kong Tourism Board Annual Report 2011/12 No. 38 ─ The Prince Philip Dental Hospital Annual Report by the Board of Governors 2011/12 Report No. 7/12-13 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Enhancing Quality of English Language Teaching and Creating a Bilingual Environment 1. MR MICHAEL TIEN (in Cantonese): It has been learnt that the average overall band score of Hong Kong's candidates taking the "Academic module" test of the International English Language Testing System (that is, "IELTS") in 2011 was 6.4, which was the same as the score in 2007. However, during the same period of time, the scores attained by candidates from Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia had increased by 0.2 to 0.3, getting closer to or even surpassing that of Hong Kong. This phenomenon indicates that the English proficiency of Hong Kong's candidates has not made any progress in recent years, but the candidates from neighbouring places have made progress. There are comments that Hong Kong people's English proficiency is very important for Hong Kong to maintain her status as a cosmopolitan city and thus the authorities should pay close LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 3503 attention to the quality of English language teaching and should create bilingual environment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (a) as it has been found in research that, compared with a large class of 38 or more students, teaching English in a small class of 21 to 25 students can provide more opportunities for teachers and students to converse in English, and students also participate in class activities more actively, whether the authorities will consider setting a ceiling of 25 students for English classes so as to enhance the quality of English language teaching; if not, of the reasons for that; (b) given that during my tenure as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, I found that the majority of students lacked the opportunities to be immersed in an English language environment, and English teachers in secondary schools currently had to teach more than 30 sessions per week, making it difficult to improve teaching in class, and some members from the education sector have also reflected to me that English teachers teaching 20 sessions per week will produce the most ideal teaching effect, whether the authorities will consider setting a reference benchmark of teaching around 20 sessions per week for English teachers of secondary schools; if not, of the reasons for that; and (c) as it is provided in section 3 of the Official Languages Ordinance that both the English and Chinese languages are the official languages of Hong Kong and possess equal status, and Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, but some government documents are currently available only in Chinese without an English version (for example, the minutes of District Council meetings), whether the authorities will conduct a survey to find out if members of the public are supportive of the Government requiring all text displayed to the public (including notices, signage, names of buildings, and so on) be available in both Chinese and English, so as to create a bilingual environment; if not, of the reasons for that? 3504 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION (in Cantonese): President, figures show that the English standard of our students has been steady over the last few years and compares favourably with our counterparts in nearby regions. In the last few years, many of our university graduates, who have taken part in the IELTS, have attained Level 6 (that is, Competent Users) or above. Hong Kong has been able to maintain a high ranking in the 2011 test and is way ahead other places such as South Korea and Taiwan. Our reply to Mr TIEN's three questions is as follows: (a) The average class size of public sector secondary schools is 33.4 and most of them are implementing split-class teaching at the junior levels when conducting English lessons. The average size of such groups is 18 to 28 students. The overall student-to-teacher ratio in public sector secondary schools has improved significantly in the past few years from 18.0:1 in the 2005-2006 school year to 15.3:1 in the 2011-2012 school year. These figures are comparable to those of other developed regions in Asia.
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