Please contact the respective Key Learning Area's Sections for updated information or enquiries.

Key Learning Areas	Enquiries
Chinese Language Education	2892 5833
English Language Education	2892 6571
Mathematics Education	2153 7458 2153 7460
Personal, Social and Humanities Education	2892 6654
Science Education	3698 3453
Technology Education	3698 3149
Arts Education	3698 3530 3698 3535
Physical Education	2713 3964
Values Education	2153 7493

Under the new academic system, senior secondary students take 4 core subjects, 2 or 3 elective subjects (including Applied Learning and Other Languages courses) and participate in other learning experiences. To facilitate the implementation of the Senior Secondary broad and balanced curriculum, schools need to adopt a more flexible approach to the use of lesson time and use block timetabling to maximise the number of subject combinations to be offered to students. Direct streaming students into Arts/Science/Commerce streams are not desirable and strongly discouraged. In this connection, EDB has developed a software entitled ‘Student Option Programme’(SOP) to help schools analyse students’ preference in choosing the elective subjects and construct block timetable to meet students’ diverse learning needs. Schools can make reference to some examples of how SOP can be used to construct block timetables.

EDB has conducted a multi-stage Feasibility Study to simulate how schools could maximise the elective subject combinations for students’ choices by adopting a flexible timetabling approach. Some examples have been compiled below for reference. It should also be noted that timetabling could be effectively done by most timetabling software including WebSAMS of EDB.

Examples:
School Timetables at 2012/13

• School with 24 classes
• School with 30 classes
• School with 18 classes

Guidance Notes and Sample Documents for Schools Intending to Carry Out Minor Alteration Works in the Implementation of the New Senior Secondary (NSS) Academic Structure

In order to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, schools are advised to observe the suggested allocation of lesson time for various Key Learning Areas given in the Basic Education Curriculum Guide. Any proposed conversion of a special room or workshop (such as Home Economics Room) should not result in less number of related lessons or lesson time in related subject (such as Home Economics) being offered at junior secondary level in school.

(Please note that experience collected from schools will be included in this Guidance Notes. Schools are advised to obtain the updated version as and when required)

• Guidance Notes
• Appendix I - Points to Note for Common Alteration Works
• Appendix II - Sample Tendering Documents
  1. Invitation to Quotation (Sample letter)
  2. Tender Form (2 copies)
  3. Conditions of Tender
  4. Conditions of Contract
  5. Particular Specification
  6. Materials Schedule , Schedule of Rates and Summary of Quotation
  7. Site Information Schedules
  8. Sample Acceptance Letter