(星島日報報道)「微調」政策下，現時英文中學與中文中學的標籤將會淡化，但隨不少學校出現「一校兩制」，在中一級同時開設中文班及英文班，標籤效應隨即轉移至校內。有學校計畫設立中英文班的「上落車」機制，讓學生升班時，再按成績分配入讀英文班，有校長坦言，機制無可避免造成學生之間的標籤效應，出現分化。
根據本報早前進行的問卷調查，發現明年中一，至少有超過十所中學將在校內推行「一校兩制」，在中一級同時開設中文班及英文班，學生將按照中一編班試成績及小六成績，入讀英文班或中文班，不少學校更計畫設立「上落車」機制，讓成績達標的中文班學生「上車」轉讀英文班，而未能達標的英文班學生則要「落車」轉讀中文
班。
陳瑞祺（喇沙）書院是其中一所將實施「一校兩制」的中學，該校計畫中文班的學生升讀中二時，審視他們的英文科及各科整體成績表現，並考慮讓部分成績優異的學生轉讀英文班。副校長黃國銓表示，英文班的學生若成績未如理想，亦可能須「落車」轉讀中文班，「若同學表現欠理想，讓他們轉換另一種學習模式，未嘗不是好事」。
另一所同樣實施「一校兩制」的中學是位於觀塘的聖若瑟英文中學，該校亦計畫設立「上落車」機制。校長楊少雄表示，校方將於中一上學期測考後的家長日，向成績屬下游的英文班學生作善意提醒，讓家長有「落車」的心理準備，「若英文班學生的成績未有改善，可能須於中二『轉班』，此舉可對部分學生起警惕作用」。對於機制會否造成校內標籤問題，楊校長指任何編班方式都難免出現標籤效應，日後學生為入讀英文班須「一分耕耘一分收穫」，成為發憤向上的目標，對提升學習態度亦有好處。
至於不會全開英文班的英中德雅中學，暫未決定採取何種機制，讓學生日後轉換教學語言。副校長張嘉慧稱，編班機制現階段仍言之尚早，校方將參考其他學校做法，以及「微調」的實際運作再行考慮，並會與家長加強溝通，減輕「微調」衍生的校內標籤問題。
教育評議會主席鄒秉恩認為，學校有責任清晰交代「上落車」機制，讓家長與學生得以明白，相信部分成績屬邊緣的學生可能因此「時中時英」。
他強調，學校管理層除考慮學生升讀英文班的機會外，更應考慮機制產生的標籤效應，對師生的心理影響，「學生會否因『落車』感到被校方放棄，打擊他們的自信心？中文班與英文班的資源如何分配？任教英文班的教師會否覺得較優越？這些問題都須全盤考慮」。
資料來源:
星島日報 2009年12月4日(星期五)
相關連結:
http://www.singtao.com/yesterday/edu/1204go01.html
思考題:
1.你覺得微調政策有什麼缺點?
2.你認為學校應怎樣推行此政策使負而面影響減至最低?
Monday, 7 December 2009
大學生職位空缺增1成
大學聯校就業資料庫最新資料顯示，今年9月至11月接獲的職位數目，較去年同期增加1成，是近7季以來首次錄得反彈。
【本報訊】(記者 任智鵬、歐陽杏櫻)臨近年尾，應屆畢業生就業情況終現曙光。大學聯校就業資料庫最新資料顯示，今年9月至11月接獲的職位數目，較去年同期增加1成，是近7季以來首次錄得反彈，是良好勢頭的開始，但仍較07年同期少2成多。至於薪酬中位數為9,500元，較今年3月至5月增加5.6%。有人力資源顧問認為，就業巿場是否真正走出谷底，還要視乎明年2、3月整體經濟情況而定，若情況有所改善，將對應屆及來屆畢業生有利。
大學聯校就業資料庫於今年9月至11月，共錄得1,894個適合大學畢業生的職位空缺，較去年同期的1,712個職位增加10.6%，而職位數目亦自去年3月至5月出現下跌以來，首度止跌回升。薪酬方面，有826個職位月薪介乎8,001至10,000元，較去年同期增加35.4%，而月薪6,001至8,000元的職位亦有495個，升幅有84%。月薪達22,001至24,000元的職位今季有10個，較去年同期增加43%，而月薪達40,000元以上的高薪職位亦再現就業市場。
今季大部分行業職位數目均較去年同期增加，當中錄得最大升幅的行業為法律服務及廣告公關，分別增加2.7倍及2.3倍，其他增加職位的行業包括翻譯、傳媒及傳播、藝術設計等，較去年同期分別上升達50%、50%及1倍。
黃志添：最壞時間已過
浸大事業策劃中心主管黃志添表示，近2個月畢業生的就業市場已見好轉，由於不少企業在頭半年曾裁減人手或凍結招聘，隨其業務有所改善，需要追回有關人力需求。他舉例說，香港的零售及市場相關行業恢復較快，空缺增加相對較多，而貿易、出口、廣告公關等，雖然不及好景之時，但市場亦有所改善，最壞時間已過，相信到明年同樣時間，職位空缺應可復甦到不俗水平。
不過黃志添補充，現時整體經濟仍難言全面復甦，所以不少企業雖需要人手，但仍未敢落實大規模的招聘行動或加薪。他指過去1年就業市場不景，職位薪酬必然較低，應屆畢業生若仍未覓得工作，須盡快求取入職機會，不應太計較，留待經濟轉好後才再爭取更好前景。
中小企入職人工僅6千起
中原人力資源顧問董事總經理周綺萍則指，雖然數字顯示市況有好轉，但去年同期為金融海嘯發生之時，比較基礎低，若與去年頭或前年同期比較就業市場仍然欠佳，不過當中金融銀行、物流、製造業、零售飲食等反彈空間相對較大。她表示，由於現時已近年尾，企業招聘將會放緩，加上整體失業率仍有5.2%的較高水平，具經驗者的薪酬也受壓，大學畢業生的入職人工仍未有大起色，一般中小企只能提供6,000至9,000元，較大型公司會有1萬元月薪，而長遠則仍要視乎明年2、3月整體經濟情況，若有所改善對應屆及來屆畢業生都較為有利。
資料來源:
文匯報 2009年12月3日(星期四)
相關連結:
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2009/12/03/HK0912030046.htm
思考題:
1.你認為就業情況有所改善的原因是什麼?
2.你認為就業市場情況要到哪個時候才穩定下來?
【本報訊】(記者 任智鵬、歐陽杏櫻)臨近年尾，應屆畢業生就業情況終現曙光。大學聯校就業資料庫最新資料顯示，今年9月至11月接獲的職位數目，較去年同期增加1成，是近7季以來首次錄得反彈，是良好勢頭的開始，但仍較07年同期少2成多。至於薪酬中位數為9,500元，較今年3月至5月增加5.6%。有人力資源顧問認為，就業巿場是否真正走出谷底，還要視乎明年2、3月整體經濟情況而定，若情況有所改善，將對應屆及來屆畢業生有利。
大學聯校就業資料庫於今年9月至11月，共錄得1,894個適合大學畢業生的職位空缺，較去年同期的1,712個職位增加10.6%，而職位數目亦自去年3月至5月出現下跌以來，首度止跌回升。薪酬方面，有826個職位月薪介乎8,001至10,000元，較去年同期增加35.4%，而月薪6,001至8,000元的職位亦有495個，升幅有84%。月薪達22,001至24,000元的職位今季有10個，較去年同期增加43%，而月薪達40,000元以上的高薪職位亦再現就業市場。
今季大部分行業職位數目均較去年同期增加，當中錄得最大升幅的行業為法律服務及廣告公關，分別增加2.7倍及2.3倍，其他增加職位的行業包括翻譯、傳媒及傳播、藝術設計等，較去年同期分別上升達50%、50%及1倍。
黃志添：最壞時間已過
浸大事業策劃中心主管黃志添表示，近2個月畢業生的就業市場已見好轉，由於不少企業在頭半年曾裁減人手或凍結招聘，隨其業務有所改善，需要追回有關人力需求。他舉例說，香港的零售及市場相關行業恢復較快，空缺增加相對較多，而貿易、出口、廣告公關等，雖然不及好景之時，但市場亦有所改善，最壞時間已過，相信到明年同樣時間，職位空缺應可復甦到不俗水平。
不過黃志添補充，現時整體經濟仍難言全面復甦，所以不少企業雖需要人手，但仍未敢落實大規模的招聘行動或加薪。他指過去1年就業市場不景，職位薪酬必然較低，應屆畢業生若仍未覓得工作，須盡快求取入職機會，不應太計較，留待經濟轉好後才再爭取更好前景。
中小企入職人工僅6千起
中原人力資源顧問董事總經理周綺萍則指，雖然數字顯示市況有好轉，但去年同期為金融海嘯發生之時，比較基礎低，若與去年頭或前年同期比較就業市場仍然欠佳，不過當中金融銀行、物流、製造業、零售飲食等反彈空間相對較大。她表示，由於現時已近年尾，企業招聘將會放緩，加上整體失業率仍有5.2%的較高水平，具經驗者的薪酬也受壓，大學畢業生的入職人工仍未有大起色，一般中小企只能提供6,000至9,000元，較大型公司會有1萬元月薪，而長遠則仍要視乎明年2、3月整體經濟情況，若有所改善對應屆及來屆畢業生都較為有利。
資料來源:
文匯報 2009年12月3日(星期四)
相關連結:
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2009/12/03/HK0912030046.htm
思考題:
1.你認為就業情況有所改善的原因是什麼?
2.你認為就業市場情況要到哪個時候才穩定下來?
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Hong Kong Needs A Strong ESF
Do we want Hong Kong to be a truly international city? Or do we want it to fade into the mass of cities along the south China coast?
If we want a robust global city we need good English-language schools. We need schools where critical thinking is as important as fact-based learning. Parents know this. International schools and English-medium local schools are short of places while other local schools struggle to fill their classrooms.
English Schools Foundation is a vital part of what makes Hong Kong unique. ESF has almost 16,000 students in more than 20 schools. Its mission is to provide a high-quality affordable English-language education. It allows many non-Cantonese families with children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford Hong Kong a chance to live here.
There is not another system like ESF anywhere in the world, a large minority-language school system that accepts all eligible students if they can pay and there is a place. Because it is non-selective, ESF is not elite. Yet it still manages to send students to some of the best universities in the world and many of its students later work in Hong Kong. It is, in other words, an extraordinary and under-appreciated institution.
But ESF faces an uncertain future thanks to government policy drift, a policy fuelled by a number of unfortunate myths.
Myth: ESF gets generous government funding. The reality: Per pupil support from the government is actually less than in local schools. Ironically, 30 years ago there was fear that government funding for ESF would be cut to the level of local schools. Now ESF parents would be delighted if our sons and daughters received the same funding as local students. Parents pay $58,100 a year for primary school and $89,250 for secondary school, with higher fees at two independent schools under the Foundation-in other words between the cost for most local schools and the bulk of international schools.
Myth: ESF students are mostly Caucasian expatriates. The reality: Nearly half of ESF students are ethnically Chinese. ESF has students from more than 70 countries, including substantial numbers of Indians, Japanese and Koreans. About three out of every four students are Asian or Eurasian. Nearly 80% of students have at least one parent who holds a permanent Hong Kong ID card.
Myth: ESF teaches a British curriculum, and thus is out of step in our post-colonial city. The reality: ESF no longer offer the British A-Levels but the International Baccalaureate (IB), a rigorous and more globally accepted program.
Unfortunately, ESF fees and government support don't cover the costs of rebuilding and repairing schools. Three of Hong Kong's most venerable schools-Kowloon Junior School, King George V and Island School, are showing their age. Kowloon Junior and Island School will need to be rebuilt while KGV needs repair and expansion. The bill for these three capital projects alone will total over $1.2 billion.
The ESF Board in November decided that parents for the first time will have to help fund ongoing capital projects with a refundable interest-free deposit of $25,000 per student. This won't solve the problem of ESF's aging schools, but it is part of the solution.
Now the Hong Kong government needs to step up. Plans for these three schools have been discussed for more than a decade, with no result.
ESF is an important part of Hong Kong's future. The government found money for its $65 billion high-speed rail link. But this spending shouldn't mean soft infrastructure like schools is short-changed.
Parents are dipping deeper into their pockets to ensure their children's future and that of boys and girls in generations to come. Now we need the government to do its part to preserve this pillar of cosmopolitan Hong Kong.
Source:
壹週刊 03 Dec 2009 (Thursday)
Link:
http://prd7-libwisesearch.wisers.net.eproxy1.lib.hku.hk/ws5/tool.do?wp_dispatch=confirm-view&doc-ids=news:25fa^200912031120295(S:67932933)&menu-id=&on-what=selected&from-list&display-style=all&tooldisplay=true
Questions:
1.What is the importance of keeping ESF schools in Hong Kong?
2.What should the government do to facilitate the quality of ESF?
If we want a robust global city we need good English-language schools. We need schools where critical thinking is as important as fact-based learning. Parents know this. International schools and English-medium local schools are short of places while other local schools struggle to fill their classrooms.
English Schools Foundation is a vital part of what makes Hong Kong unique. ESF has almost 16,000 students in more than 20 schools. Its mission is to provide a high-quality affordable English-language education. It allows many non-Cantonese families with children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford Hong Kong a chance to live here.
There is not another system like ESF anywhere in the world, a large minority-language school system that accepts all eligible students if they can pay and there is a place. Because it is non-selective, ESF is not elite. Yet it still manages to send students to some of the best universities in the world and many of its students later work in Hong Kong. It is, in other words, an extraordinary and under-appreciated institution.
But ESF faces an uncertain future thanks to government policy drift, a policy fuelled by a number of unfortunate myths.
Myth: ESF gets generous government funding. The reality: Per pupil support from the government is actually less than in local schools. Ironically, 30 years ago there was fear that government funding for ESF would be cut to the level of local schools. Now ESF parents would be delighted if our sons and daughters received the same funding as local students. Parents pay $58,100 a year for primary school and $89,250 for secondary school, with higher fees at two independent schools under the Foundation-in other words between the cost for most local schools and the bulk of international schools.
Myth: ESF students are mostly Caucasian expatriates. The reality: Nearly half of ESF students are ethnically Chinese. ESF has students from more than 70 countries, including substantial numbers of Indians, Japanese and Koreans. About three out of every four students are Asian or Eurasian. Nearly 80% of students have at least one parent who holds a permanent Hong Kong ID card.
Myth: ESF teaches a British curriculum, and thus is out of step in our post-colonial city. The reality: ESF no longer offer the British A-Levels but the International Baccalaureate (IB), a rigorous and more globally accepted program.
Unfortunately, ESF fees and government support don't cover the costs of rebuilding and repairing schools. Three of Hong Kong's most venerable schools-Kowloon Junior School, King George V and Island School, are showing their age. Kowloon Junior and Island School will need to be rebuilt while KGV needs repair and expansion. The bill for these three capital projects alone will total over $1.2 billion.
The ESF Board in November decided that parents for the first time will have to help fund ongoing capital projects with a refundable interest-free deposit of $25,000 per student. This won't solve the problem of ESF's aging schools, but it is part of the solution.
Now the Hong Kong government needs to step up. Plans for these three schools have been discussed for more than a decade, with no result.
ESF is an important part of Hong Kong's future. The government found money for its $65 billion high-speed rail link. But this spending shouldn't mean soft infrastructure like schools is short-changed.
Parents are dipping deeper into their pockets to ensure their children's future and that of boys and girls in generations to come. Now we need the government to do its part to preserve this pillar of cosmopolitan Hong Kong.
Source:
壹週刊 03 Dec 2009 (Thursday)
Link:
http://prd7-libwisesearch.wisers.net.eproxy1.lib.hku.hk/ws5/tool.do?wp_dispatch=confirm-view&doc-ids=news:25fa^200912031120295(S:67932933)&menu-id=&on-what=selected&from-list&display-style=all&tooldisplay=true
Questions:
1.What is the importance of keeping ESF schools in Hong Kong?
2.What should the government do to facilitate the quality of ESF?
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