Sport to be part of pupils' placement tests: sources

Educators were on Tuesday divided over the idea of grading primary school pupils on sport alongside their academic performance, following reports that physical education (PE) will be included in assessments for secondary school allocation. Currently, schools internally evaluate their students with three rounds of exams in primary five and six under a 38-point system and submit the scores to the Education Bureau. Three core subjects – Chinese, English and mathematics – take up nine points each, while general studies account for six. Visual arts take up three points and music two. But RTHK has learnt that authorities are looking to include PE, which will take up two points, while splitting the existing general studies subject into science and humanities. According to sources, the core subjects will be lowered to eight points each, with the new humanities and science sections each taking up four points. Visual arts and music will make up two points each in the revised rubric that will add up to 38 points. On an RTHK programme, education sector lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung said the proposed revamp should also take into account pupils with disabilities or chronic illnesses. "Although it is a good concept, pupils' innate physical attributes vary greatly... Grading them on their performance in physical education may lead to pressure or comparison among them," he said. "I suggest schools evaluate pupils' sports performance in the first one or two years of the new assessment, but not submit their scores, because this would allow the education sector to have a more complete mechanism." Chu Wai-lam, the principal of Fung Kai No 1 Primary School, told the same programme that the inclusion could be beneficial to pupils, who he said had been mostly static during the pandemic. "Through sports activities, pupils' health will definitely be improved, while reducing the burden on society and healthcare in the future," he said. The bureau said it is conducting a review and collecting opinions on the changes, and that it will make an announcement in due course.