'Primary schools need more science specialists'

An educator on Wednesday questioned whether primary schools would have enough qualified teachers when a new science subject is introduced next year, and urged the authorities to take action. Mervyn Cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organisation, made the comments on RTHK's Hong Kong Today programme, after the Education Bureau announced details of the framework for the new curriculum. Cheung told RTHK's Ben Tse that the bureau was offering support for equipment and on-the-job training for teachers. But he noted that primary-level teachers were more likely to specialise in subjects such as Chinese, English and mathematics, while those with a science background were more likely to teach at secondary level. "The EDB will need to work out with the local universities an expanded intake of science students in the next few years, plus more and in-depth refresher training for teachers already assigned to teach science subjects, starting from the next school year," he said. However Cheung said he supported increase teaching of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics, collectively known as STEAM subjects, saying that children in Hong Kong were behind those on the mainland and in other parts of the region. The curriculum framework published on Monday said schools should avoid having young primary pupils take written assessments, to reduce their stress while giving them more time for scientific exploration. The curriculum stated that students would get to design models or products in science class, apart from learning about natural phenomena. The bureau announced the shake-up of primary teaching in November as part of a move to improve the teaching of STEAM subjects.