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| January 2000 Curriculum reform allows flexbility By To Shun Kei RELATED ARTICLE:
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same section: Prof. Shum Kar Ping of the Department of Mathematics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the existing mathematics syllabus in Hong Kong is not in touch with world trends. In fact, a new syllabus of primary and secondary mathematics will be implemented in the region in 2001. In the past, teachers were required to teach a certain amount of things to the students within one academic year. Under the new syllabus, teachers are required to teach a certain amount of things to the students within 3 years, so they can arrange their own teaching schedules according to the students’ needs in the future. Moreover, a new section “A further usage of Mathematics”, will be added to the syllabus. The contents of this new section will be decided by the teachers, according to their own interests. “This section leaves room for students and teachers to think over the daily usage of mathematics, such as the Heng Seng Index and the compound interest of housing loans,” said Mr. Frankie Chan Chi Sing, a mathematics teacher at SKH Bishop Baker Secondary School. Apart from this, Prof. Wong Ngai Ying of the Chinese University said the new syllabus eliminates some repeated topics in the primary and secondary mathematics curricula. “As there is a switch in the medium of teaching during the transition from primary to secondary education, some parts of the existing syllabus in Primary 6 and Form 1 overlap,” said Prof. Wong. “But now, owing to the encouragement of mother-tongue teaching, repeated topics can be eliminated.” Prof. Shum suggested incorporating more interesting topics into the local curriculum, such as logical thinking and combinatorics. Combinatorics is the study of combinations, such as how to win chess with minimum steps and the minimum number of chessmen being captured. |
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