New digital education blueprint earns praise

A teacher's union has welcomed the unveiling of a blueprint for the implementation of digital education in primary and secondary schools, saying it provides the sector with a clear roadmap for digital transformation.

The Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers said the document, which outlines ten strategies and four key focuses, is comprehensive and meets the practical needs of students and schools.

Unveiled on Wednesday, the blueprint also stated that teachers are required to complete a minimum 30-hour digital education training every three years.

Lau Chi-pang, a lawmaker and the federation’s president, said he does not think this requirement is a burden for teachers.

“We’re not talking about having completed a certain training and that can be used for another 10, 20, 30 years. In particular, in the case of AI, AI is more or less an ever-changing platform,” he said.

“We are catching up with the development of AI every minute. I don't think this is a burden, but rather this is sort of a reference for teachers to keep up with their professional training.”

The DAB also said it supports the 30-hour digital training mandate, calling it a reasonable measure.

“It was earlier mentioned that teachers must complete 150 hours of training every three years to renew their registration,” said lawmaker Roy Chu.

“My understanding is that these 30 hours, which need to be related to digital education, are included within that 150-hour total. I think this is reasonable.”

The party added the blueprint responds positively to the global digital transformation wave and aligns with the country’s strategic goal of integrating artificial intelligence into education.

The blueprint also outlines plans for primary schools to update their curricula in the coming academic year so students can learn more digital and technological skills before they enter secondary schools.

Asked if the blueprint's timeframe was rushed, Lau, also a special advisor to the president of Lingnan University, said elementary students should have been exposed to digital and AI concepts earlier.

“I guess it's a bit late to do this. Because in higher education we have already embraced AI for some years and that we have in a way changed the whole way of delivering education at the higher education level,” he said.

“I guess the primary schools and secondary schools have to keep up with this trend and then work harder to embrace this digital era,” Lau added.

Edited by Aaron Tam ...