Section ILE/2 - Academic Departments

Before universal junior secondary education was introduced in Hong Kong in 1978, it was anticipated that the consequent increase in the number of mixed-ability classes might have a significant negative effect on language attainment. To provide for this situation, a number of coordinated measures - the 'language package' - were planned to maintain and raise the standards of Chinese and English in schools. These measures were approved by the Governor-in-Council in June, 1980 and April, 1981, and described as "conceptually sound and reasonably resourced" in a report made in November, 1982 by an independent Panel of Visitors which had undertaken an overall review of the education system in Hong Kong.

The measures included the establishment of a Chinese Language Foundation, the provision of extra teachers for remedial language teaching, the revision of the primary and secondary school language syllabuses, the installation in schools of wire-free induction loop systems to provide pupils with good models of pronunciation and usage, the carrying out of research projects and the establishment of an Institute of Language in Education (ILE).

The ILE was established to raise the professional standards of the teaching and learning of Chinese and English as subjects, and the use of these languages for teaching and learning across the curriculum. It began operation in September 1982 in Park-In Commercial Centre (柏裕商業中心) at Dundas Street, Mongkok. The ILE was a Division of the Education Department. The Director of ILE was an Assistant Director of Education directly responsible to the Senior Assistant Director of Services and Institutions. All staff members of the ILE were members of the Education Department and civil servants of the Hong Kong Government.

In February 1991, the ILE moved from Dundas Street, Mongkok, to premises at 2 Hospital Road on Hong Kong Island, which were two converted secondary schools, Yu To Sang Memorial Secondary School (余道生紀念中學) and Helen Liang Memorial Secondary School (梁文燕紀念中學), linked physically by two bridges. The new premises were officially opened by the then Director of Education, Mr. Li Yuet-ting on 12 April 1991.

Over the years the range of courses and the number of staff at the ILE have consistently diversified and grown. In the first academic year, the ILE only offered courses for non-graduate Primary teachers of Chines and English with a staff of 24. By 1994, the ILE had been running courses for Primary teachers of Chinese and English, Secondary teachers (both graduate and non-graduate) of Chinese and English, Panel Chairpersons of Chinese and English, Primary and Secondary teachers and would-be teachers of Putonghua, and Secondary teachers of subjects other than Chinese or English but who use one or other of these languages as medium of instruction. The number of staff had also increased to 108.

On 1 September 1994, the ILE was amalgamated with Northcote College of Education, Grantham College of Education, Sir Robert Black College of Education, and the Hong Kong Technical Teachers' College into the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd), pursuant to the recommendation of the Education Commission Report No.5. Its premises at 2 Hospital Road were converted to Bonham Campus of the HKIEd and remained in use until the completion of the purpose-built campus in Tai Po in October 1997.