Students differ in their aptitudes and abilities, and so do their ways of learning. Some students learn best by conceptualising and reasoning, while others may learn more effectively in an applied context through daily practice.

One of the objectives of the reform of the academic structure for senior secondary education is to provide more choices of subjects to students, so that students with different gifts and talents can develop their potentials fully and find their goals and ways to achieve them. Career-oriented studies are an essential component of a more diversified senior secondary curriculum.

The Education & Manpower Bureau has been running a career-oriented curriculum pilot scheme in secondary schools since the 2003/04 school year. The numbers of schools and students participating in the pilots have been on the rise over the past three years. In the current school year, about 3,000 students from about 130 schools are enrolled in the pilot scheme.

The bureau's evaluation of career-oriented curriculum courses revealed that about 90% of the students were satisfied with the course contents and pedagogy. In particular, they enjoyed field visits to workplaces and meetings with members of different industries.

Over 80% of the students, parents and subject teachers considered the courses helpful in widening students' horizons, boosting their self-confidence and enhancing their understanding of personal specialties. Besides, about 70% of the students and parents considered career-oriented curriculum courses useful in raising students' learning interest.

Career-oriented studies signifies a way of learning that aims to enable students to understand fundamental theories and concepts through application and practice, and to develop their generic skills in a daily context.

The principles of design of career-oriented studies courses is similar to that of conventional subjects, with equal emphasis on the cultivation of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Career-oriented studies is part and parcel of the new senior secondary curriculum and is equivalent in status to other elective subjects.

The learning contents of career-oriented studies will keep abreast of social and technological developments. The areas of studies being developed in career-oriented studies include applied science, media and communication, business, management and law, and so on.

These areas will provide a learning platform that is different from the learning programmes traditionally taught in schools. As a result, secondary students will have more care and concern for the world around them. They will learn outside the school environment, in tertiary institutions or workplaces, and thus both their learning environments and learning time will be extended.

In an age of rapid technological and social developments, universities and other tertiary institutions have been offering more and more interdisciplinary applied programmes, such as biotechnology, creative media, design and so on. In response to the increasing needs and demands of society, many traditional trades have also turned into more specialised professions, such as hair design, food preparation, movie production, vehicle servicing, and so on. Many youths are deeply interested in these programmes which are closely related to their daily life, and have aspirations for the related jobs.

Career-oriented studies courses are mainly provided by tertiary institutions. They are quality assured by the bureau, the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation and the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority to ensure that the course contents meet the objectives of senior secondary education, and that both the teachers and facilities are up to standard.

There will be continuous assessment of student performance by the course providers and the assessment results will be moderated by the authority. Student performance in career-oriented studies courses will be recorded in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education issued by the authority together with their results for the core and elective subjects.

Career-oriented studies courses, with much emphasis on practical application, differ from the conventional subjects of which the learning outcomes are assessed by written examination. As such, we propose a dual-track approach for the recognition of qualifications obtained from career-oriented studies courses.

Upon completion of a career-oriented studies course, students will be awarded certain credit points at Level 2 or 3 under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework depending on the nature and content of the course. Under the framework, the award of credit points is for recognition of the attainment of a performance level only. To give recognition for "attainment with distinction", this will be deemed to be comparable to Standards-referenced Assessment Level 3 or above in the secondary-education diploma to facilitate consideration for admission to tertiary institutions.

So far, all interested career-oriented studies course providers have expressed their intention to offer advanced courses for students to pursue further studies. For example, students who have completed the fashion design career-oriented studies course will have the opportunity for articulation to related higher diploma or degree courses if they meet the minimum entry requirements of the provider in their core subjects under the new senior secondary curriculum.

In the long run, we would like to encourage diversity in career-oriented studies courses, so that students of varied abilities might all be exposed to this style of practical learning, through the various components of the senior secondary curriculum, including other learning experiences.

Last month, the bureau released a consultation document to seek public views on the position of career-oriented studies in the new senior secondary academic structure, curriculum, recognition, quality assurance, qualification of career-oriented studies teachers, funding, and so on. The consultation will last for three months.

We do look forward to receiving views from various sectors of the community to help us develop the career-oriented studies, and in turn help each and every student pave the way to success.