Project Yi Jin : an alternative pathway to higher education in Hong Kong

Abstract

Project Yi Jin was developed to provide an alternative route to higher education for students who failed the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination to gain academic status for and access to higher education. The project provides a 1-year full-time program that includes 600 contact hours of instruction in 10 subjects--7 core subjects and 3 electives. The program emphasizes basic skills and study skills. Project Yi Jin's designers gave special consideration to gender and age issues when designing the program's courses. After the project had been in operation for 1 year, it was evaluated through a telephone survey of approximately 3,000 students, of which 2,416 (80%) agreed to participate. The survey established that students who successfully completed the project had better opportunities for further study and tended to pursue further education at higher academic levels than did those who did not complete the program. Those who completed Project Yi Jin also had better subsequent employment opportunities and expressed higher levels of satisfaction with the course. The evaluation further established that the program was neither gender biased nor age biased. Project Yi Jin was also credited with helping students over the age of 21 years obtain formal qualifications for employment and for continuing education. (Contains 28 references) (MN)