Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) - Academics - Research & Development - Completed Projects - Scheme to Support Schools in Using Putonghua to Teach Chinese Language Subject (2008)

Scheme to Support Schools in Using Putonghua to Teach Chinese Language Subject (2008)

The "Scheme to Support Schools in using Putonghua to teach the Chinese Language Subject" was launched in the 2008/09 school year to provide support to the primary and secondary schools which intended to try out teaching the Chinese Language Subject in Putonghua. The Support Scheme was carried out in four phases, providing support to 40 schools in each phase. Each participating school received support for three consecutive school years. The Support Scheme was completed in the 2013/14 school year.

Q1.	What is the definition of "using Putonghua to teach Chinese Language Subject" (PMIC) under the Support Scheme?
A1.	Under the Support Scheme, PMIC means over 50% of the lesson time of the Chinese Language Subject is taught in Putonghua.
Q2.	What kinds of support were provided to the participating schools?
A2.	The support measures given to schools included: (i) professional support rendered by Mainland teaching experts and local teaching consultants to help schools implement their plans on using Putonghua to teach the Chinese Language Subject; (ii) seminars/workshops for teachers on theories of and pedagogy in using Putonghua to teach the Chinese Language Subject; and (iii) local or Mainland exchange activities to increase teachers' exposure to different teaching practices. In addition, a supply teacher grant was also provided to participating schools.
Q3.	What was the purpose of providing supply teacher grant? What was the amount of the grant?
A2.	The supply teacher grant was provided for hiring supply teachers, so as to create room for school teachers to implement their school plans and attend professional development programmes. The amount of the monthly supply teacher grant for primary schools and secondary schools was equivalent to the master pay scale point 19 and 24 respectively, plus a MPF contribution of 5% of the pay scale point.
Q4.	What was the qualification requirement for teachers participating in the Support Scheme?
A4.	Under the Support Scheme, the participating teachers must possess the qualifications for Chinese Language Teachers[Note] and must satisfy the Language Proficiency Requirement for Putonghua teachers in speaking or attain a "Second Level Grade B" or above at the Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi administered by the State Language Works Commission, PRC. [Note] Hold a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree majoring in the Chinese Language Subject, or both a first/ higher degree majoring in the Chinese Language Subject and a recognized teacher training qualification majoring in the relevant language subject.
Q5.	What was the implementation period of the Support Scheme? How many schools were benefited from the Support Scheme?
A5.	The Support Scheme was implemented in four school years (from 2008/09 to 2011/12), providing support to 40 primary and secondary schools in each phase, totaling 160 schools (132 primary schools and 28 secondary schools).

This link will open in a new windowReport of the Longitudinal Study on the Implementation of "Using Putonghua as the Medium of Instruction for Teaching the Chinese Language Subject" (abridged version in Traditional Chinese only)

Study on the "Factors Affecting the Use of Putonghua to Teach Chinese Language in Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools"

A study on the "Factors Affecting the Use of Putonghua to Teach Chinese Language in Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools" was launched in the second term of the 2003/04 school year. The Study was carried out in 20 primary and secondary schools which used Putonghua to teach Chinese Language Subject ("PMIC"), with a focus on examining the factors affecting the implementation of PMIC for reference of schools which intended to implement PMIC and other interested parties.