Selection & grouping for schooling: implications for educational efficiency & opportunity FS Hung

Part I SELECTION OF INDIVIDUALS

Social selection in education: Meritocracy Meritocracy ( 績效制度 ): concept –Positions depend on Educational attainment Success in competitive examinations –Promotion is based on standards of performance in post as well as on seniority

Social selection in education: Meritocracy Role of education in the meritocracy –Educational system To find talent in the population at large To provide talented individuals with more equal opportunities to gain ‘merit’ by the appropriate application of their ability

Social selection in education: Meritocracy ‘Achievement’ in industrial society –Positions allocated according to what they have shown they can do –Important positions should attract the more able individuals –More able students should be motivated to high standards of performance –Superior rewards are deserved because they reflect superior achievement

Social selection in education: Educational opportunity Equal educational opportunity, in terms of –Resources (Input) –Process –Outcomes (Output)

Social selection in education: Educational opportunity Educational equity, in terms of –Horizontal equity: 同等境况, 同等看待 age citizen individual –Vertical equity: 不同境况, 不同看待 Student background: special educational needs Family background: the disadvantaged community background: the minority District/area background: poor, rural

Educational opportunity in HK Free and compulsory 9-year basic education for all aged 15 or below 1/3 of Form 5 leavers enter Matriculation education ½ of Matriculation graduates enter into university education (or 18% of population aged enter into university bachelor’s education)

Education enrollment (01-02) (02/03) (03/04) E Pre-primary ed. 156, , ,096 Primary ed. 493, , ,792 Sec. ed. (F.1-F.5)(F/t) 397, , ,472 Matriculation ed. (F.6-F.7)(F/t) 59,437 59,028 58,751 Higher ed. (UGC-funded) –Bach. Degree (F/t & P/t) 48,054 49,170 50,129 –Sub-degree (F/t & P/t) 18,367 21,040 24,327 –Postgraduate programme 15,243 15,392 15,899

Age-participation rate of university education in HK 1965: 2% 1974: 2% 1985: 4% 1990: 9% 1993: 16% 1997: 17% 2004: 18%

1997/ / /2003 小 學 教 育小 學 教 育 每 班 平 均 人 數 (1) 活 動 教 學 法活 動 教 學 法 傳 統 教 學 法傳 統 教 學 法 中 學 教 育中 學 教 育 每 班 平 均 人 數 (1) 中 一 至 中 五中 一 至 中 五 中 六 至 中 七中 六 至 中 七 不 包 括 英 基 學 校 協 會 屬 下 學 校 ( 英 基 學 校 ) 及 其 他 國 際 學 校 。 資料來源 : 教育統籌局網頁

Teacher-to-pupil Ratio in Local Public Schools in Hong Kong 1995/962000/012004/05 Primary schools1:23.81:22.01:19.1 Secondary schools1:20.51:18.61:18.0 Source: Education and Manpower Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government (

Part II Grouping in schools

Class grouping: Types Mixed-ability grouping vs Same-ability grouping Large class size vs small class size Multiyear class (same class for 2-3 years) Multiage class (same class for multi-age students) Different grouping for different subjects –Reshuffling after a term or so

Class grouping: Critical success factors for a school Professional skills & knowledge of students Different size of classrooms/lecture theatre Flexible time-tabling Cooperative school culture