Hong Kong Pre-Primary Education in Transition: ‘Consultation Document of the Working Party on Harmonisation of Pre-Primary Services’

Hong Kong's most recent education reform proposal is the Consultation Document of the Working Party on Harmonisation of Pre-primary Services ( Consultation Document. This examines the feasibility of combining kindergarten and childcare centres and having one single body regulating them. It has stimulated great responses from the early childhood education sector. As one of the major training institutions for kindergarten teachers and childcare workers, the faculty and students of the Hong Kong Baptist University have had extensive discussions on the Consultation Document with experts in the sector. This article reviews the development and rationales of the Consultation Document and examines its recommendations on teacher training, subsidy schemes, and transition arrangements. The authors' views and counter-proposals are also discussed.