For discussion FCR(95-96)68
on 3 November 1995

ITEM FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 29 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT : CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING CENTRE
Subhead 700 General other non-recurrent

Members are invited to approve a commitment of $10.73 million for providing more training in Chinese language and China studies to civil servants.

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PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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PROBLEM

We need to improve civil servants’ proficiency in Chinese language and their knowledge about China.

PROPOSAL

2. The Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS) proposes to organise more training activities in Chinese language and China studies for the civil service at a cost of $10.73 million.

JUSTIFICATION

3. To prepare civil servants for the transition and to enable them to work effectively for the future Special Administrative Region Government, we have been providing them with training in China studies, Putonghua and written Chinese. The emphasis of China studies is to cultivate and disseminate knowledge about the social, economic and administrative systems in China. Chinese language training includes courses in Putonghua and written Chinese for all civil servants and Cantonese for overseas officers. About 45 000 trainees will participate in these programmes in 1995-96, compared to 7 000 in 1994-95.

4. As part of the strategy and efforts to develop a biliterate (in English and Chinese) and trilingual (in English, Cantonese and Putonghua) civil service, we need to step up the current training programmes. Chinese language training will also enable civil servants to cope with the greater demands placed on them to be able to communicate effectively in Chinese with the three levels of representative government as well as the public. There is also an increasing need for more civil servants to acquire knowledge about China. To meet these objectives, SCS proposes to organise more training in China studies and Chinese language.

5. The proposed Chinese language training programmes include -

1. Self-learning packages on Chinese writing

   We plan to produce four self-learning packages on “Writing Minutes of Meetings in Chinese”, “Writing Speeches in Chinese”, “Writing Performance Appraisal Reports in Chinese” and “Writing Information Pamphlets in Chinese”. Each package will consist of a course book and a video/cassette tape. We would provide a total of 60 000 copies of these packages.

2. Booklets on format and sample models on Chinese writing for departmental groups

   We shall design ten booklets on format and sample models on Chinese writing for different departmental groups. We would produce a total of 60 000 copies of these booklets.

3. Commissioned courses on Chinese writing

   We shall commission local tertiary institutes to organise more courses on Chinese writing for about 1 200 trainees.

4. Courses on Chinese writing for departmental groups

   We shall design 12 courses on Chinese writing for different departmental groups. About 1 000 trainees would take part in these courses.

5. Cantonese courses for overseas officers

   We shall conduct more Cantonese courses for overseas officers from 1996-97 to 1998-99. About 60 trainees per year would participate in these courses.

6. The proposed programmes on China studies include -

1. Commissioned courses on China studies

   We shall commission local tertiary institutes to run more courses on subjects related to China from 1996-97 to 1998-99. We expect 360 trainees to attend these courses every year.

2. Courses to be conducted by experts on China studies

   We shall invite speakers knowledgeable about China to conduct courses from 1996-97 to 1998-99. We expect 1 200 trainees to attend these courses every year.

3. Self-learning packages on China studies

   We plan to produce self-learning packages on China studies covering three subjects, namely, “China’s Legal and Judiciary Systems”, “Basic Law” and “Guangdong-Hong Kong Interface”. Each package will consist of a video and a self-learning booklet. We would produce 200 copies of each of the three videos and 20 000 copies of each of the three booklets for distribution to departments.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7. SCS estimates that the total cost of the proposal is $10.73 million, made up as follows -

8. SCS estimates the cash flow to be as follows -

Subject to Members’ approval of the proposal, we shall include sufficient provision in the 1996-97 draft Estimates for this purpose. The proposal does not have any additional recurrent financial implications.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

9. In the Policy Commitments published with the 1995 Policy Address, we pledged to take a number of initiatives to develop a civil service which is biliterate and trilingual. Provision of more training in China studies and Chinese language is in line with this policy commitment.

Civil Service Branch
October 1995

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