In 1998, as the Hong Kong Institute of Education ("HKIEd") progressed towards university status, the School of Early Childhood Education replaced the previous Division of Pre-Primary Education. Under the leadership of its Dean, Professor Lorna Chan, the School’s responsibilities had expanded to include not only teacher education programmes but also research, publications and special initiatives which aimed to improve the quality of early childhood services in Hong Kong.
Two landmark programmes were introduced in 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 academic years, respectively: the former was the Three-Year Full-Time Certificate in Early Childhood Education (CE(ECE)), and the latter was the Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Early Childhood Education (BEd(Hons)(ECE)). These programmes significantly elevated the academic status of early childhood education.
In the 2001/2002 academic year, the School launched the first Qualified Kindergarten Teacher Education Course (QKT), a one-year full-time programme aimed at enhancing professional qualifications. The academic year 2002/2003 saw the launch of the “Hong Kong Journal of Early Childhood”, reflecting the department’s growing emphasis on integrating teaching with academic research.
In the 2004/2005 academic year, the School launched the first full-time Bachelor of Early Childhood Education Programmes in Hong Kong, further strengthening its leadership in the field.