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■教育局局長孫明揚上月宣布，推出優化措施，鼓勵更多中學自願減班。 資料圖片
Adopt a pragmatic approach in class cuts as student population decreases
教育局局長孫明揚上月宣布，推出優化措施，鼓勵更多中學自願減班。當局提供資助，吸引中學參與減班計劃，務求降低減班對教師帶來的衝擊可以理解。不過，學校亦要面對生源銳減的現實，不應奢求納稅人不計代價地花費公帑照顧超額教師。政府更要因應社會的轉變，及時調整師訓課程畢業生的供應，避免製造更多超額教師。全港中學劃一減班，勢必令受歡迎學校學額大幅減少，引起家長和學生憂慮，當局在推動減班計劃的同時，應顧及學生為本、提升教學質量的原則，考慮給予靈活安排。
教育局除可考慮重推「肥雞餐」疏導過剩老師外，政府還應為超額教師尋找更多出路，包括增加轉職培訓、推動本港學校廣吸海外及內地生源，並到內地合作辦校，盡可能創造就業機會，吸納超額教師。
全港中學劃一減班，部分口碑好的學校原則上亦要遵循，否則減班計劃難以展開。如此一來，減班變成懲罰辦得好的學校和教師，不符合留優汰劣原則。而且好學校的學額減少，學生接受良好教育的機會自然亦減少，對基層家庭的子女尤為不利。好學校對提升本港教育質素具有重要作用，教育以學生利益為先，當局決心推行減班計劃，但不能不重視社會的不同意見和訴求，應審慎處理優質學校的減班，找出一個平衡方案。
Secretary for Education Michael Suen announced last month the introduction of the class optimization scheme to encourage more secondary schools to cut classes voluntarily. Special allowances will be offered in order to attract more schools to participate in the class cut scheme. The aim of the authorities to minimize the impact of class cuts on teachers is understandable. Nevertheless, it is also necessary that schools accept the reality that the student population is decreasing sharply, and keep away from asking taxpayers to take care of surplus teachers at all cost by spending public funds. On the other hand, the government should also follow up on the changes in society and adjust the number of graduates from teacher education courses in a timely manner so as to avoid creating more surplus teachers. Cutting classes uniformly in all secondary schools will inevitably cause a significant reduction in the number of available places in popular schools, which will for sure raise concerns for parents and students. So, in forging ahead the scheme, the authorities should bear in mind the principles of student-based education and the goal of enhancing teaching quality, and allow flexible arrangements.
Besides re-launching the so-called "fat chicken meal" (voluntary early retirement scheme) to offset redundancy, the Education Bureau can also consider making more alternative opportunities available for surplus teachers. These can include expanding re-deployment vocational training, encouraging local schools to accept students widely from overseas and the mainland sources, and advocating cooperation of local schools with mainland partners in setting up schools on the mainland. These can achieve the aim of creating as many job opportunities as possible to accommodate surplus teachers.
As class reduction is to be adopted uniformly in all secondary schools in the territory, reputable schools should in theory also participate, or else the scheme cannot take off. Unfortunately, in such a way, cutting classes may turn into a punishment for some well-run schools and good teachers, contrary to the principle of refining education. If available places in good schools are reduced, the opportunities for more students to receive quality education will accordingly drop. This poses a greater disadvantage in particular to children from families of the grassroots. Good schools play an important part in enhancing the quality of education in Hong Kong. Interests of the students ought to be the first priority of education. While determined to carry out the class-cut scheme, the authorities should also pay attention to different opinions and demands. The authorities have to handle class reduction in quality schools carefully and find a balanced solution.
■translation by 開明 chi.ming818@gmail.com
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