The renamed subject - Citizenship and Social Development, would cover three themes in its core content including Hong Kong, the nation and the contemporary world.

“While the subject would remain compulsory for public assessment, the school-based assessment component - Independent Enquiry Study, would be removed. Students would also be provided with Mainland study opportunities,” said the Council.

As for the optimized Chinese Language and English Language, the compulsory and elective parts will be streamlined, as well as reducing the number of papers in the public assessment or optimizing the design of the papers.

There would be no change in the curriculum and assessment of Mathematics. However, schools could allow some students to study only the Foundation Topics and part of the Non-foundation Topics, and incorporate lessons on the Extended Part into the regular school timetable.

The Council said about 100 to 250 hours are expected to be released upon the implementation of the proposals to optimize the four subjects, enabling schools to provide a more diversified curriculum and cater for learner diversity.

The Council hopes that the Education Bureau will accept the recommendations soon so that the optimization proposals can be implemented at Secondary Four in the 2021/22 school year to benefit students as early as possible.

Current senior secondary students would continue to follow the existing curricula.